100 Themes Challenge - Turtle Tot Edition
by Rachel Erica
Summary: Can I write 100 turtle tot one-shots using 100 different themes? Find out! This is for ColonelDuckie's (Culinary-Alchemist on DA) 100 Themes Challenge.
1. 001 - Intro

Here is my first entry for Colonel Ducky's (Culinary-Alchemist on DA) 100 Themes Challenge. Can I write 100 Turtle Tot One-shots? Maybe. Let's see!

* * *

**Intro**

The four four-year-old turtles sat in a circle around their father in his dojo. Leonardo, the oldest, patiently sat Indian-style, his hands folded perfectly in his lap. To the left of him sat Raphael, who slouched and yawned, daydreaming about returning to his bed. Next to the bored and drowsy Raph sat Donatello, who was fully awake and eagerly awaiting the lessons his father would be teaching that day. And next to Donnie sat Michelangelo who was lying on his stomach playing with the loose threads in the rug beneath him.

Splinter sighed. "Michelangelo, please sit up."

Mikey obeyed, but continued to play with the threads in the rug.

"What are we gonna learn today, Daddy?" Donnie finally asked.

"Donatello, as much as I love being your father, in this room, I am your teacher. You must call me Sensei. You may call me 'daddy' anywhere else," Splinter explained.

"Sorry, Da...I mean, Sensei," Donnie replied.

Splinter chuckled. "That is quite alright, my son. That actually relates to what I wish to teach you today. I wish to teach you some etiquette and manners."

"What's that?" Donnie asked.

"We will start with that; when you want to say something or ask a question during learning time, you must raise your hand like this." Splinter demonstrated by raising his hand just above his head.

Raph raised his hand. "Why do we have to learn this?"

"No, Raphael, you must wait for me to acknowledge you before you speak."

Raph sighed.

"Try it again," Splinter ordered.

Raph groaned and raised his hand.

"Yes, Raphael?"

"Why do we have to learn this?"

"Learning manners and proper etiquette is important because it will help you boys to grow into polite and respectful young men," Splinter explained.

Donnie and Leo nodded in understanding, Raph just rolled his eyes and looked down at his knees, and Mikey continued to play with the threads in the rug.

Splinter sighed. "Michelangelo," he said.

Mikey looked up, a guilty look in his eye.

"Repeat back to me why it is important to learn manners," Splinter ordered.

"Uhm..." Mikey grew nervous and started to play with the rug again. "'cause...uh..."

"Michelangelo, look at me while you are speaking."

Mikey looked up. "It's important 'cause...uh...cause you said so?"

Splinter gave his youngest a stern glare. "Michelangelo, have you not been paying attention?"

Mikey crumbled under his father's gaze. He looked at his feet again and shrugged.

"That is not an answer, and what did I just say?" Splinter scolded. "You are to look at me when we are speaking to each other."

Mikey reluctantly looked at Splinter again.

"I will ask again: have you not been paying attention?"

Mikey's lip began to quiver. "No..."

"And why not?"

"I-I don't know..." Mikey's voice cracked. "I'm sorry..."

Splinter sighed. "If you continue to 'daydream' while I am teaching you, then you will sit in the corner, is that understood?"

"Yes, daddy..."

Splinter shook his head.

Donnie nudged Mikey and whispered, "you gotta call him Sensei since it's learning time."

Mikey was not about to ask questions while trying to get off the hot-seat so he simply obeyed. "Okay...Sensei."

"Hai, Sensei," Splinter corrected.

Mikey looked confused.

"Saying 'hai, Sensei' is a respectful way to say that you understand or that you will obey," Splinter explained. "From now on, when I give you an order, you must say 'hai, Sensei' or 'father', 'daddy', whatever is appropriate."

"Hai, Sensei!" Leo eagerly replied.

"Hai, Sensei!" Donnie said.

"Hai, Sensei..." Raph mumbled.

"Hai, Sensei," Mikey choked out.

Donnie leaned over to Mikey again. "Also, when you wanna ask a question or say something, you gotta raise your hand," he whispered.

Mikey nodded. "Hai, Donnie."

Splinter chuckled.

Raph raised his hand.

"Yes, Raphael?"

"Do I have to say 'hai' to my brothers? I don't really want to."

"No, you do not necessarily need to say that when speaking to your brothers. However, I do still expect you to be kind to one another and treat each other with respect."

"Hai, Sensei!" Leo said, earning him an annoyed glance from Raph.

"Now, does anyone know what you are supposed to say when you need to get past someone but they are in your way?"

Raph raised his hand.

"Raphael?"

"Get out of the way?"

"No," Splinter replied. "That is very rude, in fact. You must say 'excuse me'?"

"I thought I was s'pposed to say 'excuse me' when I toot." Mikey piped up, earning him a glare from Splinter. Realizing his mistake, Mikey then raised his hand.

Splinter sighed. "Michelangelo?"

"Sorry, da- I mean Sensei," he said, "but I thought I was s'pposed to say 'excuse me' when I toots or burp."

Splinter fought a smile. "Yes, you are, but you are also supposed to say it when someone is in your way or you wish to get someone's attention in a respectful way."

"Hai, Sensei," Mikey replied with a confident smile.

Splinter smiled. "Good, Michelangelo."

Donnie raised his hand.

"Yes, Donatello?"

"What do I say when I want Mikey to stop stealing the blankets in bed?" he asked.

"You may gently wake him and ask him to stop, or if possible, calmly take your share of the blankets back," Splinter explained.

"Can't we just push him off?" Raph joked.

Splinter glared. "Raphael! First, you did not raise your hand. Second, no, you cannot push your brother out of the bed. It is not kind and you could hurt him."

Raph sighed. "Sorry, Sensei."

Leo raised his hand.

"Yes, Leonardo?"

"What do I do when I am trying to watch TV and Mikey won't shut up?"

Splinter sighed. "My son, it is not polite to say 'shut up', but when your brothers are being too loud for your liking, then you should calmly ask them if they will be quiet."

"Well, what if he doesn't listen?"

"Then you must ask him again," Splinter said, but anticipated the next question, "and if he still does not listen you must come to me and I will handle it. You must do what must be done to keep the peace."

Raph raised his hand.

"Raphael?"

"What do I do when Mikey is just being annoying?"

Mikey frowned.

"Raphael, your question in itself was rude. Again, if your brothers are doing something that is displeasing you, then you should kindly ask them to stop," Splinter scolded.

Mikey raised his hand.

"Yes, Michelangelo?"

"What should I do when my brothers call me 'stupid'?"

"First, know that you are not stupid at all, my son, but you should tell them how it makes you feel and ask them to stop saying that," Splinter explained.

Mikey nodded and began to look at the rug again.

"My sons, can any of you tell me what is wrong with your questions?" Splinter tested.

Donnie raised his hand.

"Donatello?"

"Nobody said 'hai, sensei' after," Donnie pointed out.

"This is true, but no, that was not where you went wrong," Splinter explained. "Michelangelo, three of the four questions were about you. Tell us how that made you feel."

Mikey frowned. "Sad..."

"I see," Splinter said. "Why did they make you sad?"

"They make fun of me," Mikey groaned.

"What you three did is called 'singling out'. It is when you single out a single person and say things that are meant to sort of attack them alone," Splinter explained. "It is not polite to say things that you know will hurt someone, especially your brother."

"Hai, Sensei" Leo said, "Sorry, Mikey. You're not the only one who's loud. Raphie and sometimes Donnie can be too."

"Yeah, sorry, Mikey," Donnie agreed. "You just steal the blankets a lot and I get cold."

"I'm sorry, Donnie. I'm sleeping so I don't know it..."

Raph frowned, but said nothing.

"Raphael, do you have anything to say?" Splinter asked.

"Sorry, Mikey," he groaned.

"What are you sorry for?" Splinter pushed.

"For calling you annoying. I guess you don't mean it."

"I don't, Raphie. I just wanna play with you," Mikey replied.

Splinter smiled. "Do you see what can be accomplished when you are kind to one another?"

"Hai Sensei," they said in unison.

"Good. Now it is lunch time. Who's ready to learn table manners?"

All the boys except Donnie groaned.

* * *

**Sorry, this one wasn't very good, but it's all I could really come up with for this theme. It's their "Intro" to proper manners and etiquette. **


	2. 002 - Smile

**Smile**

Donatello sat working diligently on a puzzle. It was a five-hundred piece puzzle that Splinter had found for him while scavenging a day ago. Donnie hadn't stopped working on it since, except to sleep, eat, or learn or train.

"Whatcha doin', Donnie?" Mikey asked, sitting in front of the half-way done puzzle.

Donnie didn't look up. "Same thing I was doing twenty minutes ago when you asked that," he mumbled.

"Pfft, puzzles are so boring!" Mikey said. "You should come play hide-and-seek with me or something."

"Not now, Mikey, I want to finish my puzzle."

Mikey pouted. "Can't you do that later? I'm bored."

"Get Raphie or Leo to play with you."

"But I wanna play with _you. _Besides, Raphie only wants to wrestle and he always ends up hurting me when he does that and all Leo wants to do is watch TV. _Please_, Donnie?"

Donnie sighed. "Not now, Mikey."

"Well if you won't play with me, could I at least help you with your puzzle?"

Donnie groaned. "Fine. Just go wash your hands first."

Mikey looked at his hands. "Why? What's wrong with them?"

"I saw you pick your nose a minute ago," Donnie replied. "I don't want you getting your boogies on any of my puzzle pieces."

Mikey chuckled. "Okay."

Mikey eagerly stood up and went for the kitchen, but he found his feet were met with an obstacle.

"MIKEY!"

Mikey looked down and saw that the said obstacle was the once half-way done puzzle. He cringed.

"Uhoh..."

"Mikey, why did you do that?!" Donnie stood up and shouted.

"I'm sorry, Donnie. I didn't mean to..."

"You stupid idiot! It was right in front of you, how did you manage to step on it?!"

Mikey frowned. "I'm not an idiot! It was an accident! I..."

"No way! You did it on purpose because you want me to play with you!"

"No I didn't! I was gonna do the puzzle with you!"

"I should smack the freckles off of you!"

Mikey growled. "Don't make fun of my freckles!"

Donnie smirked. "Why not?! They look like a leprechaun sneezed on your face!"

Mikey stomped his foot. "Stop it, Donnie!"

Donnie pinched both Mikey's cheeks, much to his displeasure. "I wonder if I can squeeze them off!"

Mikey shoved him off. "Yeah...well...that gap in your teeth looks stupid!"

Donnie gasped.

"Yeah, it looks like...like a guy lives in your mouth and always leaves the door open!" Mikey teased. "I could climb in it like a cubbyhole!"

"Shut up!" Donnie shouted and pushed Mikey down onto his shell.

"Enough!" Splinter shouted, having emerged from his quarters. "What is the meaning of this?" He knelt down and helped Mikey to his feet.

Mikey and Donnie both started shouting explanations at once. Splinter squeezed his eyes shut and held up a hand. The two were immediately silenced.

"_Please, _one at a time," he scolded. "Donatello, tell me your side of the story."

"I was working on my puzzle and Mikey was bugging me to play with him, but I told him I didn't want to, so he stepped on my puzzle and messed it all up! Then when I got mad, he made fun of my teeth!"

Mikey gasped. "Liar!" The outburst earned him a swift warning swat on his backside and a stern glare from Splinter. "Sorry, daddy..." Mikey said, rubbing his backside.

"Now, Michelangelo, tell me _your_ side of the story."

"Donnie didn't wanna do anything else but that puzzle so I asked if I could help and he said yes but I has to wash my hands first. I went to wash my hands and accidentally stepped on his puzzle when I got up. I told him I didn't mean to, but he hit me and started calling me names and he made fun of my freckles!" Mikey finished in a pout, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I didn't hit you!"

"Uhuh, you did too and then you pushed me!"

"Stop lying Mikey; I didn't hit you!"

"Boys!" Splinter shouted. "That is enough. Michelangelo, tell me the truth; did you step on Donatello's puzzle on purpose?"

Mikey shook his head. "No! I swear, I didn't. I was gonna help!"

Donnie snarled at him.

"Donatello, did you hit Michelangelo?"

"No," Donnie replied. "I only yelled at him."

Splinter sighed. "I believe that you both should be punished. Each of you go to a separate corner and think about the way you have treated each other."

"Hai, Sensei," the boys moaned in unison.

For thirty minutes, the two sat in separate corners. Mikey fidgeted and sighed continuously, and Donnie stood and glared at the wall, brooding over his damaged ego and ruined puzzle.

"Donnie..." Mikey quietly moaned, looking at his brother across the room. "I..."

"Quiet, Michelangelo," Splinter scolded. "You are to think this over. You may speak with him when your punishment is over."

"Hai, Sensei," Mikey said.

* * *

"Are you boys ready to talk this out?" Splinter asked.

"Uhuh," Mikey said.

"...Yeah..." Donnie said grudgingly.

"Come, my sons," Splinter signaled for them to follow him into the dojo. He sat down on the floor and the two of them knew to do the same.

"Donatello, is there anything you want to say to Michelangelo?"

Donnie sighed. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," he said half-heartedly. "...and for making fun of your freckles."

Splinter nodded. "Okay. Michelangelo?"

Mikey frowned. "Sorry I made fun of your missing tooth...and broke your puzzle. I didn't mean to mess it up. It really was an accident. It just hurt my feelings when you yelled at me and made fun of me."

"But you hurt my feelings too," Donnie argued. "I already hate my smile as it is. You didn't need to point that out."

"But I like it when you smile," Mikey said, "it usually means you're happy, which means you're being nice to me and you're more fun when you're happy."

"Yeah, but it still looks stupid," Donnie pouted.

"But you're my big brother," Mikey said, "I don't care what you look like."

Splinter smiled, but Donnie sighed.

Mikey planted himself in front of Donnie with a goofy grin on his face. "Come on, smile," he pushed.

Donnie groaned and looked down at his knees.

Mikey laid on his back and put his head in Donnie's lap, obstructing his gaze. "Smi-i-ile," he sang.

"Mikey stop!" Donnie whined.

_Poooot!_

Mikey sat up and giggled. "I tooted."

Donnie continued to look down, but fought a smile.

Splinter cleared his throat. "Michelangelo, what do you say?"

Mikey laughed. "'scuse me."

Donnie surrendered to a chuckle and finally looked up. "You're nasty."

Mikey giggled even more and tackled Donnie in a hug.

Donnie laughed and tried to push him off. "No, get off me, stinky-butt!"

Splinter smiled and shook his head. _Kids_.

**Yes, another fart joke. I just had to think of a simple way for Mikey to make Donnie laugh and what better way than a random fart? Haha XD**


	3. 003 - Dark

**Dark**

_There once was a bitter old man. He lived alone in his old farmhouse long after his wife had passed. _

"How did she die?" Mikey asked.

"What?" Raph snapped.

"How did his wife die?" he innocently asked again.

The four brothers sat on their blankets in a circle. They had made a tent in their living room out of extra linens and after hours of begging and pouting, Splinter had agreed to allow them to keep their tent up and camp out in it for one night only.

"How am I supposed to know how she died?" Raph growled.

"Well it's _your_story!" Mikey argued.

"Mikey, shoosh!" Leo said. "Let Raphie tell the story."

"Anyway, as I was saying..."

_The man would stand at his living room window all day and watch all the cars and people that passed his home, daring them to step too close._

"Okay, technically, a car can't _step_ anywhere..."

Raph groaned. "Donnie, shut up! You know what I mean!"

"W-what would he do to the p-people who did come too close?" Mikey dared ask.

Raph smirked. "I'm glad you asked that..."

_If ever the old man caught someone who trespassed on his lawn, he would take them into his attic and gut them to death._

"Raph," Leo scolded. "You're already letting this story get too gruesome. You're scaring Mikey."

"N-no," Mikey argued. "I-I'm okay. It's j-just getting good."

"See?" Raph said. "He likes it. So on with the story..."

_One evening, the man ran out of his favorite thing to eat with human flesh: rye bread. So he got in his old red car and went off to the market._

"He likes to eat human flesh on rye bread?" Donnie raised an eye-ridge.

"Yes," Raph said, exasperated. "Who's telling the story here?"

"D-does he eat t-turtle flesh?" Mikey asked.

Raph smirked. "He eats anything that crosses his property line."

Mikey swallowed hard.

_It was raining that day, and on his way to the market, he lost control of his car from the water on the road and wound up in a horrific car accident._

"You mean he hydroplaned," Donnie corrected.

"What?" Raph growled.

"He hydroplaned," Donnie clarified. "It's when the tires on an automobile start to..."

Leo groaned. "Oh jeez, can we just get back to the story?"

_The old man was killed in the car accident. Obviously, he was too evil to get to Heaven, but for the first time ever, even Hell didn't want him. So his spirit was sent back to his mortal body. _

"Can that really happen?" Mikey piped up.

"Yes," Raph replied. "Did I mention that this was a true story?"

"Huh?!" Mikey squeaked.

Leo sighed. "Raph's just kidding, Mikey. Of course it isn't true."

Raph groaned. "Such a buzz kill..."

_When the doctors found that he had returned to life, they replaced his mangled arm with a prostetic arm made of gold and sent him back to live in his farm house._

"Fake limbs aren't made of gold!" Leo argued. "Aren't they supposed to be plastic or metal or something?"

"I want a golden arm..." Mikey mumbled.

"Be quiet!" Raph snapped. "It's _my_ story."

_One night, as the old man slept, some young teenagers broke into his house on a dare and stole his golden arm._

"That wasn't very nice," Mikey commented.

"He was eating people, shell-brain," Donnie argued. "Who cares if someone steals from him?"

Mikey shrugged. "Splinter says 'two wrongs don't make a right'."

Raph groaned. "_Anyway..._"

_To this day, the immortal old man stands in his living room window, watching the cars go by. Only now, every time a car stops or breaks down near his house, he emerges from his house saying repeatedly "Where's my golden arm?". There is no escaping him because even if you drive away, he will follow you home and kill you and eat you in your house. All the while chanting "Where's my golden arm?"_

Mikey was shivering under his blanket. "I-is it over?"

"The end," Raph finally said.

"That's it?" Leo scoffed. "That was stupid."

"And highly illogical, I might add," Donnie said. "Human immortality is impossible, for one, and a man following a speeding car on foot is..."

"Okay, okay," Raph snapped. "So it wasn't the best scary story. Let's see any one of you come up with anything better."

"No more!" Mikey screeched. "No more scary stories!"

"Ugh, you ruin everything you big baby," Raph argued.

"Raphie stop it," Leo scolded. "I'm tired anyway, so let's just go to sleep, alright?"

"S-sleep?" Mikey shuddered. "C-can't we stay up and t-talk or something?"

"We tried that, but _you_ got scared," Raph snarled.

_Thud!_

A sound was heard from outside of the homemade tent.

"Did you hear that?" Leo spoke up.

"Y-yeah..." Mikey replied, huddling closer to his oldest brother.

_Thud!_

"There it was again..." Donnie whispered.

"You babies," Raph teased. "It's a sewer. There's always weird noises..."

_Ugggh..._

Mikey practically crawled onto Leo's lap and the other two huddled closer to him as well.

"...okay, w-what was that?" Raph squeaked.

"_Where's my golden arm?_"

The four boys gasped and Mikey hid his face in Leo's neck.

"N-no..." he squeaked and began to cry.

"_Where's my golden arm?_"

The voice drew closer.

"D-donnie, go get Splinter..." Leo whispered, holding onto Mikey.

"No w-way!" Donnie replied. "I'm not g-getting e-eaten. The golden-arm man is out there!"

"_Where's my golden arm?_"

Mikey squeaked. "I w-want da-addy."

"I-it's okay, Mikey-y. He wo-on't find us in h-here," Leo attempted to reassure him.

The entrance to the tent burst open and a figure crawled in.

"Where's my golden arm?"

All four boys screamed at the top of their lungs. Raphael got up and attempted to attack the figure, but it picked him up and chuckled.

"There, there, my sons, it is just me," the figure spoke.

"D-daddy?" Donnie squeaked.

"I was just coming to check on you and I overheard Raphael's story," he explained. "I thought I said no scary stories tonight." He set down Raph.

Raph shrugged. "We tried..."

Leo pried Mikey off of him and moved his hand to find it met with the blankets beneath him warm and damp. "What the..." He looked down and found that it was all around him and Mikey. He gasped. "Mikey, did you pee?!"

Mikey did not answer, he just sat shaking and crying.

"Michelangelo, are you alright?" Splinter asked.

Mikey shook his head. "Scared..." he choked out.

"Aw, honey, I am sorry," Splinter crawled to Michelangelo. His hand also met the damp warmth that surrounded him. He cringed, but scooped up his frightened son and held him close. "I did not mean to frighten you this way."

"A-arm..."

Splinter sighed. "Let's get you cleaned up. I suppose we are camping out with me tonight."


	4. 004 - Light

**Light**

Donatello's eyes cracked open to meet with the pitch late night darkness of his room.

He sighed. It was yet another night of wakeful sleeping. He rolled on his side to see his youngest brother, Mikey, lying on his back next to him and snoring lightly.

"_No wonder I can't stay asleep_," He thought.

He groaned and rolled over on his stomach. Maybe a change in position could help him get to sleep. He shut his eyes and snuggled as close to his blankets as his flesh would allow.

After several minutes of shifting and readjusting, Donnie still had no luck getting back to sleep. He glanced out of his open door and saw it again: a faint light shining from somewhere off in the lair. He had seen it every night for the past week around the exact same time.

He sat up and stared at it. Where was it coming from? He couldn't tell. Perhaps one of his brothers had been getting up to go the bathroom every night around this time? Couldn't be Mikey, though. He was right there.

The curious little turtle threw his blankets off of himself and trudged off toward the mysterious light. He made certain to be extra quiet so as not to wake anyone or be caught snooping around, lest he could get into trouble.

He went to the spot on the floor which the light shined on. He was surprised to see how faint it actually was even up close.

He followed it with his eyes, looking ahead to see where it was coming from: the dojo. Maybe it was Splinter, but what would he be doing up so late?

He crept into the dojo, beginning to question whether or not he should return to bed. Though it could mean trouble, his curiosity just wouldn't allow it.

There in the middle of the room sat his father surrounded by several candles, his back turned to the doorway.

Donnie walked cautiously toward Splinter. "Daddy..." he hesitated.

Splinter did not move, but said, "Donatello, what are you doing awake?"

"I-I couldn't sleep."

Splinter finally turned and looked at his son. He gestured for him to sit in his lap. "Come, my son."

Without further hesitation, Donnie complied and crawled into his father's lap.

"Is there something trouble you?" Splinter asked.

Donnie shook his head. "Not exactly," he said. "I just keep waking up in the middle of the night. I think it's because of Mikey's snoring."

Splinter chuckled. "Well I don't believe there's anything I can do about that. I have tried turning him over onto his side, but he just winds up on his back again."

"Is Mikey's snoring keeping you up too? Is that why you're sitting in here?"

Splinter smiled and ruffled Donnie's head. "No, my son. I am in here because I'm meditating."

"Well, how come you always do that?"

"It allows me to gather my thoughts and relax," Splinter explained.

"Oh..." Donnie wasn't certain if he understood or not, but pretended that he did.

Splinter shook his head. "I choose to do this the most when you boys are asleep. That way I do not have to worry about what you are doing."

Donnie cocked his head.

"Though, ironically, you boys are my main thoughts when I am meditating," Splinter went on.

"We are?"

"Yes," Splinter replied. "I meditate on each of you; all your individual traits that I love and how far each of you have come since the day our family began. These are things that make me feel peaceful."

Donnie leaned in and rested his head on his father's chest.

"Were you thinking of me when I came in?"

Splinter held him a little tighter. "As a matter of fact, I was."

"Really? What were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about how exceptionally you have been doing with your schooling. I am very proud of you, Donatello."

Donnie gave him a sleepy grin. "I like learning."

"I know you do, my son, and you are quite a pleasure to teach," he laughed. "I just wish you were that eager to eat your meals."

Donnie giggled.

"Your brother, Michelangelo, is the exact opposite. Getting him to eat his meals is no problem at all, but getting him to focus on his schooling is quite a challenge."

Donnie shrugged. "Mikey likes to eat, but he's kind of a dummy."

"Now, now," Splinter scolded, "your brother is not a 'dummy'. He just has a bit of an overactive imagination. Maybe you could help him?"

"Well I help him sometimes," Donnie added.

"Yes, you do and I am very proud of you for that, but maybe if you two sat down together sometime you could have a better breakthrough," Splinter suggested.

Donnie sighed. "Maybe, but he'd probably just wanna play."

Splinter chuckled. "Not if I tell him that he must listen."

Donnie yawned. "What other things do you think about me?"

"Well, how you interact with your brothers and they with you," Splinter replied. "You and Leonardo have quite a few things in common. The two of you seem to very much enjoy eachother's company. You seem to butt heads with Raphael quite a bit. You take a lot of interest in education and Raphael lacks motivation in that respect and you seem to like insulting one another for those things."

"He calls me a nerd," Donnie defended.

"Yes and you call him unintelligent," Splinter countered. "However, you are both wrong. But although you fight and pick at one another, I know you love each other. You only fight because you care for each other."

"I guess that's true..."

"Michelangelo really looks up to you," Splinter went on. "Although you are opposite in many ways, the two of you share a passive-aggressive nature."

Donnie yawned again. "That's true," he agreed. "He just gets on my nerves sometimes."

Splinter chuckled. "Well, that is what brothers do, my son."

"Daddy..." a small, pouty voice said from behind the two.

He smiled. "What is it, Michelangelo?"

Mikey stepped around the candles, dragging his blanket. "I woke up and Donnie wasn't there. I got scared and couldn't go back to sleep."

Splinter gestured for him to sit on his lap as well and Mikey did so without hesitation.

"Sorry, Mikey," Donnie said, "I couldn't sleep either so I came in here."

"Well I believe it is way past time for the two of you to be getting back to sleep," Splinter said. "Michelangelo, will you be alright if Donatello goes back to bed with you?"

"Uhuh..."

"Alright," Splinter held them both close to him and carried them back to their bed. He tucked them both in and kissed them good night for the second time. "I love you both."

"Love you too," they said in unison.

With that, Splinter returned to his quarters.

Donnie turned over to Mikey and grinned. "We really need to get you a night light or something."

"Who needs a nightlight when I have a big brother?"


	5. 005 - Heaven

**Heaven**

**A/N: From watching the show I am sure that Splinter is Buddhist, but since Buddhists believe in reincarnation rather than an afterlife (and since it also just so happens to be Easter today) I've decided to make him Christian for this. This is just to clear it up that yes, I do understand that Splinter would not likely be a Christian man if he were real.**

Splinter sat Indian-style in his dojo, his four sons in a circle around him, calmly waiting for the day's lesson to begin. He looked around to each of them; they all sat wide-eyed, watching him expectantly

Donatello, unable to contain his excitement for new knowledge any longer, finally spoke up. "So, what are we going to learn today, Sensei?"

Splinter smiled at him. "Today we are going to learn about families and relationships," he said. "We will be learning about mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and such."

Mikey raised his hand.

"Yes, Michelangelo?"

"What's a 'such'? Do we have one?"

Splinter shook his head. "No, my son, a 'such' is not a family member. It is not even a person. It is just a way of saying that there are more family members I did not mention."

Mikey blushed and the other three chuckled at him. "Hai, Sensei," he said.

"Aw, it is quite alright, Michelangelo," Splinter encouraged. "You are learning. Now, you all know what a male sibling is, correct?"

Leo raised a hand.

"Leonardo?"

"What's a sibling?"

"A sibling is someone that you share a parent, a mother or father, with," Splinter explained. "You all share me, a father, so you are all siblings to one another."

"So a sibling is a brother?" Leo clarified.

"Yes, very good, Leonardo," he praised. "A sibling can also be a female, a girl, can any of you tell me what you would call a _female_ sibling?"

Raph raised his hand.

"Raphael?"

"A girl brother?"

Splinter chuckled. "No," he said. "A female sibling is called a _sister_. The four of you do not have a sister, only brothers."

Mikey raised his hand.

"Yes, Michelangelo?"

"What if you have a sibling that isn't a boy or a girl?"

Splinter paused and sighed. "That does not happen often at all, my son, but if it does, I suppose it is whatever the family decides to call him or her. Now, what do we call the female partner of the father?"

No hands raised.

"I will give you a small hint: I said it earlier."

Donnie raised his hand.

"Donatello?"

"A mother or...a mommy?"

Splinter beamed proudly. "Yes, very good. The father's partner is the mother, at least to their children. What is she to the father?"

The four looked from one to another, hoping someone might have the answer.

"I will give you another hint: what did I call the lady, Tang Shen?"

Raphael's hand shot up. "A wipe!"

Splinter couldn't fight a full belly laugh. "You are close, my son, but no, a father's partner is called his _wife._ Now, can anyone tell me what the father is to his wife?"

Mikey raised his hand.

"Yes, Michelangelo?"

"If Tang Shen is _your_ wife, and you're _our_ daddy, would that make her our mommy?"

Splinter's heart felt as if it had stopped. He breathed in deeply and looked down at his lap.

Upon seeing his father's reaction, Mikey hesitated, but continued. "And if Miwa was _your_ kid, wouldn't that make her our...big sister?"

Splinter closed his eyes thoughtfully; he knew this question would come, but never so soon nor from his youngest son.

"And I know they went away somewhere else, but will we ever get to meet them? Are they gonna come back?"

All four boys watched their father, eagerly awaiting an answer.

Splinter stood up and turned away from his sons. He walked to the shelf that held the framed photo of his human self with his late wife and baby daughter. He held the framed photo in his hands and stared as he fought back his tears.

"Daddy...?" Leo squeaked with light concern. "I mean...Sensei?"

Splinter sighed. "Learning time is over for today, my sons. You may go off and play."

The boys looked at each other with concern and turmoil.

"D-daddy," Mikey spoke up, "did I say something bad?"

Splinter finally turned to his sons and looked straight at his youngest. "No, Michelangelo, you have done no wrong. Just, please, go play for a while, okay?" He managed a half smile.

"Hai, Sensei," he said.

The four boys stood up and quietly left the dojo to carry on with their day.

* * *

Mikey laid on the couch with his face buried in his arms.

Donnie knelt down beside him with a deck of cards in his hand. "Mikey, you wanna play Go Fish with us?"

Mikey looked up slowly and frowned. "No thank you, Donnie. I don't really feel like it."

"What's wrong?"

Mikey sighed. "I made daddy sad with my question. I did a bad thing..."

"Yeah, I think you did," Donnie admitted, "but it's okay. You didn't mean it."

"No, but I'm still a bad boy." Mikey hid his face in his arms again. "I don't really want to play right now. Sorry, Donnie."

Donnie sighed. "Okay, Mikey. But you can join when you want, okay?"

Mikey nodded and Donnie let him be.

* * *

Splinter stood still staring at his former family's portrait. He sat down on the floor and set it in front of him and then bowed his head in prayer.

"Lord, help me find the strength to tell my sons the truth. At least a truth that will not harm their innocent hearts..." he prayed.

He opened his eyes and a tear escaped.

* * *

"Leo," Raph started, staring at a bunch of cards only he could see, "do you have any...queens?"

"Go fish, Raphie," Leo beamed.

Raph sighed and drew a new card from the stack.

"My turn!" Leo cheered. "Donnie, do you have any aces?"

Donnie sighed and handed him an ace.

"Yes!" Leo cheered. "Raph, got any sixes?"

"Go fish," he said.

"Darn."

They turned at the sound of their father exiting the dojo. They watched him saunter to the couch and scoop up Mikey into his arms.

"Come, my sons," he said, "I wish to speak with you."

Without a word of protest, the three oldest boys laid their playing cards down and followed their father into the dojo.

Splinter took a seat on the floor and set Michelangelo on his lap. He hugged him to his chest as his oldest three sat around him in a circle, watching him curiously.

He sighed and pulled Mikey back to look him sincerely in the eyes. "First, Michelangelo, I want you to know that you have done nothing wrong."

"But I made you sad..." Mikey choked.

"No, you did not," Splinter corrected. "It is normal for you to wonder about that. You are growing and learning and I knew it was only a matter of time before one of you would ask about them. It is alright." He gingerly stroked the little one's head. "Now I wish to speak to all of you about my wife and daughter the right way."

The four looked at him, looking as if they did not know what to expect.

He sighed. "I have told you before that my wife, Tang Shen, and my daughter, Miwa, went far away before the four of you came into my life," he began. "What I really meant by that, my sons, is that they passed on...they died."

Donnie hesitated. "What does that mean?"

Splinter paused. "It means...it means that they have stopped living. Their bodies have shut down, as if they have gone to sleep forever, but their spirit has gone somewhere else."

"Why did they do that?" Leo asked.

"They did not choose to die, my son," he explained. "They..." he stopped himself. "They died because they became too sick to go on. Their bodies shut down forever and their spirit, their soul, went to a place called Heaven."

"Where's Heaven?" Mikey asked.

Splinter sighed. "Somewhere that no one living can get to. A person must die to get to Heaven."

"Am I gonna die someday too?" Raph asked.

Splinter hesitated. "Yes, everyone dies someday, but do not be afraid. When we die, we will all go to Heaven and be with the rest of our family. We will have nothing to fear."

"We will get to meet our mommy and our big sister?" Mikey asked.

"Yes, my son, one day we will all be united."


	6. 006 - Breathe

**Breathe**

Splinter set down the last two platefuls of worms and algae in front of his youngest two sons.

"Thank you, daddy," Donnie said. Mikey however only smiled in appreciation, his mouth already too full for him to speak.

"You are welcome, my sons," he said and joined them for their early morning meal.

"Daddy, I have a question," Leo began.

Splinter smiled. "Yes, my son, what is your question?"

"Can we play in the water later?"

Raph gasped. "Yeah I wanna play in the water! Please, daddy? Please?!"

"Please daddy!" Mikey pleaded, blowing chunks of algae all over his part of the table.

"Michelangelo," Splinter scolded, "please, do not talk with your mouth full."

Mikey swallowed. "Hai, Sensei."

Splinter sighed. "I don't know, boys. You know how I feel about that sewer water."

"We won't get sick, I promise," Leo pleaded. "Please, daddy?"

"I promise I won't hit my brothers for a whole day," Raph said, nearly leaping out of his chair. "and I'll let you give me a bath when we're done!"

"I'll let you watch all the news that you want and I'll never complain about it again!" Leo begged.

"I promise I'll stop picking my nose and wiping it on the back of Donnie's mask!" Mikey shouted.

"Eww, Mikey!" Donnie glared at Mikey and wiped off the back of his mask with his hand.

Mikey giggled. "I's just kiddin' Donnie."

Splinter chuckled. "How about this? If you are all good during learning time, then I will allow you to play in the water for a _little_ while."

All the boys, with the exception of Donnie who didn't much like playing in the water, cheered in their seats.

"But understand that if you are going to play in that water, you will have to be bathed _immediately_ after," Splinter said sternly. "_No_ exceptions."

"Hai, Sensei," the three said in unison.

Mikey reached over to Donnie's plate and tried to steal a bite of his breakfast.

"Michelangelo," Splinter snapped, "do not steal from your brother's plate."

"But he eats too slow. It's gonna get cold!" Mikey complained.

"If Donatello's meal gets cold because he is too slow, then that is his fault. It is not your concern and you eating it for him will not solve it." Splinter scolded. "Now, have you finished your own plate?"

Mikey sighed. "Yes."

"Okay," Splinter replied, "then please go set it by the sink and wait for us in the dojo."

"Hai, Sensei." Mikey jumped down from his chair and did as he was told.

* * *

All four boys sat side-by-side in the dojo, waiting for their father to finish cleaning up the dishes from breakfast.

"I'm gonna be super extra good today," Mikey said. "I wanna go swimming later."

"Yeah, yeah me too," Leo cheered. "Raphie, you has to be good today. Don't ruin it for us."

Raph crossed his arms in a huff. "Who says it's gonna be me who messes it up for us? Donnie's the one who doesn't care if we go or not."

Donnie scoffed. "I'm always good during learning time! It's my favorite time of the day."

"That's 'cuz you're a nerd," Raph spat.

"At least I'm not a big jerk," Donnie retorted.

Raph moved in only inches from Donnie's face. "I'll show you a big jerk..."

Splinter entered the room and Raph instantly retreated back to his former position, and then blew a quick raspberry at Donnie.

Their father sat down Indian-style directly across from them. "Alright, my sons, today we are going to learn a few numbers and some math."

Donnie clapped his hands eagerly, earning a frustrated glare from Raph.

"Raphael," Splinter said, "perhaps you could tell me how many fingers you have on one hand."

Raph looked at his left hand and counted carefully. "Three?"

"Good. Michelangelo, why don't you tell me how many fingers you have altogether, on both of your hands?"

Mikey looked at both of his hands and began to count his fingers.

"Six!" Donnie called out.

Splinter gave him a stern look. "Donatello, you are not to call out. You are correct, the answer is six, but now you must apologize to Michelangelo for taking his answer."

Donnie scowled. "Hai, Sensei." He turned to Mikey. "Sorry, Mikey."

Mikey grinned. "It's okay, Donnie."

"Michelangelo, why don't you tell me how many toes you have instead?"

Mikey looked at his toes and counted them. "Six?"

"Very good."

"Leonardo, can you tell me what two plus two is?"

"Four," Leo answered without hesitation.

"Very good, my son," Splinter praised. "Donatello, I want you to count as high as you can for me."

Donnie nodded. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen..." he hesitated, "...twenty."

"Well done, Donatello," he praised. "Leonardo, now you."

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten...eleven...tw...tweleve...?"

"Good job. Raphael?"

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten."

"Excellent. Michelangelo?"

"One...two...three...four...five...six...?" Mikey's face began to flush. "Uh...t-ten...?"

Splinter smiled at him, but shook his head. "No, my son, ten does not come after six."

Mikey's face turned red and tears began to well up in his eyes.

"That is okay, Michelangelo. You did very well. You all learn at your own pace," Splinter attempted to console him. He sighed. "You all seem to be at quite different levels with your counting, so I do not want to continue with learning math until you are all on the same page. Donatello, I want you to tutor Michelangelo until he can at least count to ten and then we will go from there."

"Hai Sensei."

"Does this mean we're done with learning for today?" Leo piped up.

"If we end it now, Donatello has to promise me that he will tutor Michelangelo after you are done swimming and you've all had your baths," Splinter said.

"Please, Donnie? Please?!" Leo and Raph begged.

"Only if you guys promise not to bug me about getting in the water," he said.

"We promise!" they said in unison.

Donnie looked at Mikey. "Mikey?"

Mikey sighed. "Yeah...I promise."

"Alright!" Raph and Leo high-fived and ran out of the dojo with Splinter slowly following behind.

Donnie reached for Mikey's hand and helped him to his feet. "Cheer up, Mikey. I'll help you with your counting and math and you'll be caught up in no time." He smiled. "I know you can do it."

Mikey looked down thoughtfully for a moment and then smiled. "Thanks, Donnie." He grabbed his genius brother's hand and led him out of the dojo to meet the rest of their family.

Splinter sat by the small "pool" in their makeshift living room, Leo and Raph already playing around in it.

Mikey ran to Splinter who scooped him up and carefully placed him in the water. The little turtle immediately began to swim being literally a natural.

Donnie sat next to Splinter with his favorite book.

"You are not going to join your brothers, Donatello?"

Donnie shook his head. "Nah," he replied. "I don't really feel like swimming. I'd rather read my book."

"Well, that is just fine." Splinter smiled and ruffled Donnie's bandana.

"Marco!" Mikey yelled.

"Polo!" Leo and Raph yelled back in unison.

Mikey swam around with his eyes closed, feeling around for his two big brothers. "Marco!" he yelled again.

"Polo!"

Mikey laughed. "Where are you guys?"

Raphael glanced at the floor outside of the pool and smirked. He climbed out of the pool and stood on the edge, watching Mikey struggle to find him and Leo. Leo looked at Raph and shook his head with disapproval. Raph silently hushed him.

"Marco!"

"Polo!"

Mikey swam only inches from Leo, but Leo swam away before Mikey could tag him.

"Marco!"

"Polo!"

Raphael already grew bored of his joke and decided to get back in the water. He looked over to see if Splinter was watching; Splinter sat with his eyes closed as if he was meditating, however his ears twitched, listening very diligently to his surroundings.

Raph smirked and walked back a few feet to get a running start. He took off for the pool, but just before he could leap off the edge, his foot slipped out from under him and he banged the back of his head on the ledge before plummeting into the water.

"Marco!" Mikey yelled again.

"Polo!" Leo shouted back.

Mikey swam toward his voice, but still couldn't catch him. "Marco!"

"Polo!" Leo then noticed that Raph wasn't even yelling back anymore. He turned to look at the ledge where Raph had been, but he was not there.

"Raphie?" he called. "Okay, where ever you are, come back. Stop cheating!"

"Cheating?" Mikey then opened his eyes and scowled. "Raphie's cheating?"

"Raph?" Leo called out. He swam toward the edge, but saw something red under the water before he could make it there. He looked closer and then gasped. "DADDY!" he screamed. "DADDY, RAPHIE'S UNDER THE WATER!"

Splinter's eyes shot open and he instantly dove into the water. To Leo, Mikey, and Donnie, it seemed as if the few seconds that they were under the water lasted several minutes. Splinter burst up from the water and held Raphael's limp body to his chest. He climbed out of the pool and carefully laid him on the floor.

Leo climbed out of the pool and then Donnie helped him to aid Mikey out. The three of them gathered around their father and unconscious brother.

Splinter began pushing on Raphael's chest. "Come on, my son, breathe," he begged. As he pushed, a small amount of water began to run out of Raph's mouth. He opened his airways and breathed into his mouth, and then pushed his chest several more times.

Mikey clung onto Leo's arm and began to cry. "No," he sobbed. "Raphie..."

Raph then began to cough and heave and the rest of the water came up from his lungs. Splinter finally was also able to breathe himself and took Raph into his arms, patting his shell and bouncing him lightly.

"There you go, honey," he soothed, "just breathe. Let it out."

"I-is Raphie o-okay, daddy?" Mikey stuttered.

Splinter sighed. "Yes, my son, your brother is going to be fine."

Raph began to sob while holding the back of his head.

"Why are you holding your head, Raphael?" Splinter asked and moved his hand. That's when he saw the growing patch of blood beginning to soak through his bandana. He hastily removed it and saw a rather small gash. "Uhoh, looks like you hit your head." He looked to his other three sons and saw them all with fearful expressions. "My sons, why don't you watch some television while I take care of your brother?"

The three did not argue and Leo led them to the television.

* * *

Splinter snipped the remaining string on his son's stitches. "Very good, Raphael," he praised. "You were very brave." He knelt down in front of him and looked him in the eyes. "How do you feel?"

Raph groaned. "My head hurts."

"I am sorry, my son," he apologized. "I should have been watching you closer."

"I shouldn't have tried to jump in the water. I guess I fell..."

"So that is what happened." Splinter sighed. "You must be more careful when you are playing around the water. I have told you before."

Raph looked down in shame. "I know..."

Splinter enveloped him in a hug. "You scared me today. I thought I'd lost you."

Raph wasn't sure what to say, so he said nothing.

"Now, I believe you owe Michelangelo an apology," Splinter ordered.

Raph cocked his head. "Why?"

Splinter smiled. "Because you cheated at Marco Polo!" He then began to tickle the little one's sides and he exploded in a fit of the giggles.


	7. 007 - Insanity

**Insanity **

Two-year-old Michelangelo ran through the living area, swinging his diaper around in his hand. He screamed with glee and tossed it at the back of Leonardo's head, who was diligently watching a cartoon on the television.

Leo turned to identify the soft object that had pelted him and cringed. "Ew, Mikey!"

Mikey giggled.

Leo stood up and confronted him. "No, no, Mikey. Bad. Not s'posed to take diaper off."

He pointed at Leo's lower body. "No..." he said.

"I no wear diaper 'cuz I use potty," Leo replied. "You no use potty."

"W'phie?" Mikey responded, pointing at Raphael snoozing on the floor in front of a toy car he had been playing with.

"Waphie use potty too," Leo said.

"D'nnie?" Mikey pointed at Donatello, who sat playing with a bunch of blocks next to Raphael.

"Donnie too." Leo checked the diaper and saw that it was clean so he picked it up. "Put back on."

Mikey shook his head. "No."

"Have to," Leo commanded. "You pee."

"No pee pee," Mikey argued.

Leo knelt down to Mikey's feet and tried to lift his foot to slip it in the leg hole, but Mikey resisted.

"No!" he yelled and tried to put his foot back down but lost his balance and fell on his backside. Quick to recover, he began to kick his feet at Leo.

"Mikey, stop!" Leo whined.

"No!"

Mikey finally kicked enough to get his foot loose and he rolled over and took off running.

"Mikey!"

"No!"

Splinter came from his dojo, having heard enough of the commotion, to find his youngest, diaperless, and his oldest chasing him with a diaper.

"Boys, what is going on out here?" he caught Michelangelo and scooped him up.

"No," Mikey told him. "No pee!"

"Mikey took diaper off!" Leo shouted to his father, waving the diaper in the air.

"No!" Mikey whined.

"Michelangelo, you must wear your diaper," Splinter said firmly. "You can not yet use the potty."

"No!" Mikey whined again. "No pee pee!"

"Would you like to try and use the potty like your brothers?" Splinter asked.

Mikey nodded. "'huh."

"Alright, you may try." Splinter took him into their bathroom and set him on the toilet. "Do you need to go?"

Mikey shook his head.

"Well, you should try."

"_Waaah!_"

Splinter sighed. "Wait here, my son. I must go see what's wrong with your brother. Do not leave until you have gone." He got up and went to the sound of the crying.

Donatello ran to him and clung onto his kimono. A building block with a letter on it flew past them and hit the floor. Splinter looked ahead and saw a now awake Raphael with a block in his hand, ready to throw that one too.

"Raphael," he scolded, "put that down, right now! Don't you dare throw it."

Raph reluctantly dropped the block to the floor and pouted.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"I sweep and Donnie woud!" Raph shouted. "Stupid bwocks."

"No!" Donnie protested. "Waphie mean!"

"Raphael, if you are tired I will allow you to lie down in your bed, but you must not throw things at your brother," Splinter scolded. "Now, I want you to pick up the blocks that you've thrown and if you want to lie down, I will take you to your room so you may have quiet."

Raphael said nothing and obeyed.

"Donatello, perhaps you should help him."

"'kay," Donnie replied and went to help put his toys back in order.

A flash of green shot past Splinter, giggling madly. He sighed. "Michelangelo! Come back here!"

The little one continued to run and giggle. Splinter ran after him, but couldn't catch him before he tackled a once again unsuspecting Leo.

"Mikey get off!" he whined, displeased that his TV time was being interrupted yet again.

Mikey only giggled and continued to roll all over him, occasionally attempting to bite him. "Eeo!" he yelled. "Pway Eeo!"

"No, Mikey!"

"No, _I_ pway wif car!" Donnie shouted.

Splinter turned to see Donnie and Raph now fighting over a toy car.

"No, mine! You pway bwocks!"

"Michelangelo, please leave your brother alone," Splinter ordered. "And Raphael and Donatello, please put the car down and I will settle that in a moment."

No one seemed to hear what he had said.

Mikey and Leo's one-sided wrestling match came to an abrupt stop.

"Mikey!" Leo screamed. "Eww! You pee!"

"Uhoh..." Mikey squeaked.

"Hamato Michelangelo!" Splinter scolded, nearly shouting. "What did I tell you?"

Mikey cowered and said nothing. Donnie and Raph stopped fighting to watch the scene go down.

Splinter knelt down to his level. "Didn't I tell you not to leave the potty?"

Mikey teared up, but still said nothing.

Splinter lifted him up and swatted him once on the backside. Mikey let his tears flow. "Come Leonardo, you must both have a bath now."

Leo obeyed and followed his frustrated father to the bathroom.

"Donatello, Raphael," he called back to the living room. "Behave yourselves! I'll be back in a minute."

He set the sobbing Mikey down on the closed toilet and Leo waited next to him, refusing to look at him.

"I mad at you," Leo pouted, his arms crossed.

Splinter was knelt over the bath tub, waiting for it to fill. "Leonardo, you must forgive your brother. He was wrong, but he did not mean it."

Leonardo huffed and turned further from Mikey.

When the tub filled Splinter placed the two boys inside.

"Now you two wait in here for a minute," he told them. "I must go take care of Donatello and Raphael."

"'kay Daddy," Leo replied and proceed to play in the water.

Splinter left the bathroom and went to the living room only to find that Donnie and Raph were both gone.

"Donatello?" he called. "Raphael? Boys? Where are you?" He heard giggling. "I hear you giggling," he chuckled. "Come out, my sons. I do not have the time for this."

He glanced around and saw two little feet sticking out from behind the couch. He smirked and snuck up on the little turtle. "Gotcha!"

Raphael squealed in surprise when he was lifted up.

"Alright Raphael, where is Donatello?"

Raph shrugged. "Don't know."

Splinter gave him a stern look. "I think you do. Where is he?"

Raph shook his head. "Don't know, daddy."

Splinter heard a faint wailing and the sound of small hands hitting metal. He looked in the direction that the sound was coming from and saw the cubbyhole in the wall was shut and locked. He immediately put Raph down and rushed to open the cubbyhole.

Once opened, a frightened and sobbing Donnie leaped into his father's arms.

"It is alright, Donatello. Daddy's got you," he soothed. "Raphael, did you lock your brother in the cubbyhole?"

Raph shook his head.

"Did he lock you in there, Donatello?"

Donnie nodded. "Threw car in there."

"He threw the car in there?"

Donnie nodded again.

"Why don't you go ahead and get it out?" Splinter said, setting him down. Donnie cautiously crawled inside the cubbyhole again and came out with the red car.

Splinter scooped up Raphael and set him in the corner. "Shame on you," he scolded. "You should not have done that to your brother. That was not a nice thing to do."

"No!" Raph protested.

"Now you will stand in the corner and think about what you did and Donatello gets to play with the car," Splinter ordered.

Raph threw a fit. "No! No! No!"

"Calm yourself. I will make you sit there longer if you do not behave," he warned.

Raph shot him a dirty look, but obeyed.

"_Waaaaaah!_"

Splinter nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of a blood-curdling scream coming from the bathroom. He ran in there to find that the cry had come from Mikey; he was holding his hands over his nose. Leonardo sat with a guilty expression.

Splinter pulled Mikey from the tub and sat him on his lap. He tried to move his little hands away from his face. "Let me see."

Mikey moved his hands to reveal a bloody nose. Splinter gasped. "Oh no," he said and grabbed a bundle of toilet paper and put it to the little one's nose. "Leonardo, what happened?"

Leo shrugged. "He hurt his nose."

"I can see that," Splinter replied. "_How_ did he hurt his nose?"

"Eeo hit!" Mikey cried.

"Leonardo hit you?"

Mikey nodded and pointed at the bar of soap. "Soap."

"He hit you with the soap?"

Mikey nodded again.

"Leonardo, is that true?"

"No!" Leo defended. "Slip from my hand an' hit him! Was a accident!"

"If it was an accident, then how did it hit him hard enough to make him bleed?"

Leo looked down at the water as if it would give him an answer.

"Michelangelo, was it an accident?"

"No," Mikey pouted. "Threw it."

"He threw it? You're sure?"

Mikey nodded and rubbed his eyes.

"Okay." Splinter stood up and set Mikey back on the toilet. He lifted Leo from the tub, turned him over his knee and spanked him. "That was a very mean thing to do, Leonardo. You really hurt your little brother," he scolded through the little one's tears. He picked him up. "Come on." He took him to the corner in the living room next to where Raphael was or where he was _supposed_ to be, rather.

"Stay here, Leonardo," he sighed. "I must go find Raphael."

Leo nodded, continuing to sob.

"Raphael?" Splinter called. "Where are you?"

"In bafroom, daddy," Donatello answered him, holding the car in one hand and pointing at the bathroom door with the other.

"Thank you, Donatello," he said and rushed off to the bathroom. He stopped outside the door when he heard Mikey and Raph talking.

"Leo hit you wif soap?" Raph asked.

"Uh-huh."

"Why?"

Mikey hesitated. "I pway...pee...Eeo mad. I pway tub...threw soap." He pointed at his nose and teared up again. "Nose...bwood."

Raph growled. "I go'a beat him up." He climbed on the toilet seat and hugged his little brother.

Splinter entered. "Raphael, though it is kind of you to comfort Michelangelo, you are not going to 'beat up' Leonardo."

"Hit Mikey!" Raph argued. "Make him bweed!"

"Yes and you were not very nice to Donatello earlier, were you?"

"I no hurt Donnie..."

"Maybe you did not hurt his body, but you hurt his feelings."

Raph frowned. "Uhoh..."

Splinter knelt down in front of the two. "Maybe you should tell him you're sorry, hmm?"

Raph nodded and jumped off the toilet. "No more corner?"

Splinter sighed. "You should not have left the corner, but since you seem to have learned your lesson, you are no longer punished."

Raph smiled and ran out of the room.

He turned back to Mikey. "Are you okay, honey?"

Mikey wiped away his last few tears and nodded. Splinter smiled and then put a new diaper on him, scooped him up, and drained the tub. "You want some ice for your nose?" he asked, exiting the bathroom.

Mikey shook his head.

"You sure?"

Mikey nodded and rested his head on his father's shoulder.

"Are you getting sleepy?"

Mikey nodded again.

"Well it's almost nap time," he said. "I have to make you some lunch first." He set Mikey down on the couch.

"Leonardo, come here please," he called.

Leo left the corner and approached his father, looking at his feet shamefully. Splinter lifted him up and set him next to Mikey.

"Leonardo, I heard Michelangelo say you threw the soap at his nose because you were mad at him," Splinter began. "Is this true?"

Leo nodded.

"Why were you mad at him?"

"He pee on me," Leo mumbled.

"I understand, but he did not mean to. I heard you threw it because he tried to play with you again in the tub and you were still mad."

"Yeah..." Leo began to fumble with his fingers nervously.

"That was wrong, my son. You are never to hit your brother," he scolded. "I want you to tell him that you are sorry."

Leo turned to Mikey and hugged him. "I sowwy, Mikey."

Mikey showed his forgiveness by returning the hug.

"Good boys," Splinter praised. "You may both return to playing."

The boys eagerly did so.

* * *

Splinter set the prepared algae on four small plates.

"Boys, lunch is ready," he called.

Not one tot ran for the kitchen. Splinter raised an eyebrow and went to the living room to check on them. "Boys?"

There in front of the TV was a bundle of four little turtles all snuggled together, sleeping soundly.

Splinter smiled and returned to the kitchen to put away the food for later. Lunch time could surely wait.


	8. 008 - Misfortune

**Misfortune**

"_Mikey..._" A voice echoed through the quiet darkness.

"_Mikey...?_ MIKEY!"

The darkness around Mikey broke and he opened his eyes to find himself lying in his bed. The source of the voice was his older brother, Donatello, who was standing over him looking ever so impatient.

Mikey yawned. "Good morning, Donnie."

"Mikey, I've been trying to get you up for the last half hour," Donnie scolded. "Sensei is waiting. You have to get up now."

Mikey felt an uneasiness in his stomach and a mild throbbing in his skull.

He groaned. "Donnie, I don't know if I can do any learning or training today. I don't feel so good."

Donnie sighed. "Mikey, come on. You have to get up. You can't keep pretending to be sick just because you want to sleep in."

"No, I'm serious this time," Mikey argued. "My stomach and head hurt."

"Fine, Mikey. I'll go talk to daddy, but he's not gonna be happy about this."

Mikey only groaned and rolled over.

Donnie left the room and returned to the kitchen where Splinter was gathering up the dishes from breakfast and putting them into the sink.

"Were you able to get him out of bed?" he asked.

Donnie shook his head. "No, he said he doesn't feel good this morning."

Splinter rolled his eyes and stormed off to Mikey and Donnie's bedroom. He knelt down by Mikey's bed and lightly shook him.

"Michelangelo," he said sternly, "you must get up now, come on."

Mikey groaned. "I don't feel good, daddy."

Splinter sighed. "I will not hear it today. You look fine, now get up."

"But my head and my tummy hurt," Mikey whined.

Splinter felt his forehead. "You are not running a fever. You're not even warm, so you are fine. Get up. You are not getting out of schooling or training today."

Mikey sighed and sat up, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Because you've decided to sleep in this morning, you have missed breakfast and now you can help me clean up the dishes before schooling," Splinter ordered.

Mikey pouted. "Hai, Sensei."

Splinter left without another word and went back to the kitchen to finish gathering the dishes into the sink.

Mikey rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he got into the bathroom, he inhaled and felt that he had walked straight into a brick wall.

"Eww," he cried and held his nose. "Who blew it up in here?"

"Sorry!" Leo called out from the living room.

Mikey groaned and went on to brush his teeth in spite of the awful smell.

"Hurry up, Michelangelo!" Splinter called. "We have a lot to do today!"

"I'm coming!" Mikey called, running from the bathroom to the kitchen. He grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to the sink so he could reach it.

Splinter handed him a dry dishrag. "I will wash and you can dry and put them away."

"Hai, Sensei."

Splinter turned off the water once the sink was filled and began to scrub the plates. Once they were clean, he would hand them to Mikey and he would dry them thoroughly and then put them in the cabinet. The system went smoothly for several trials until a plate that was not fully dry slipped from Mikey's hands and shattered on the floor.

Mikey gasped and swallowed hard. "Uh oh..." His face grew hot as he cautiously looked to his father. "I'm so sorry, daddy!" He pleaded. "I-it was an accident! It...It slipped and..."

Splinter knelt to his level and took a deep breath as if to calm himself. "That is alright, my son." He sighed. "Accidents happen."

Mikey hastily got down on his knees and began to pick up the glass. Splinter swiftly grabbed his wrist and he released the shards in his hands.

"_Do not_ touch the glass," he ordered.

"Th-then I w-will sweep it up," Mikey stammered and rose from the ground, but Splinter stopped him before he could retrieve a broom or dustpan.

Mikey looked to him with a fearful expression.

"I believe you have done enough, my son. Why don't you go wait for me with your brothers? I will finish in here."

Mikey frowned. "Daddy, I'm really sorry, I..."

Splinter held up his hand to silence him. "It is alright, Michelangelo. Just do as I asked, please."

"Hai, Sensei." Mikey left the kitchen and joined his brothers waiting in the dojo. He took a seat next to Donatello.

"What was that crash we heard?" Leo asked.

Mikey sighed. "I had to help Sensei do the dishes and I accidentally dropped a plate."

"Ooh," Raph teased. "Did you get in trouble?"

Mikey shook his head. "No," he said, "it was just an accident."

"Well if you hadn't faked sick and slept in you wouldn't have had to help in the first place," Leo said.

"I wasn't faking!" Mikey defended. "I really didn't feel good when I woke up. I just didn't have a fever." He turned to Donnie and glared. "Why did you tell them?"

Donnie shrugged. "Why not?"

Mikey growled and said nothing else.

All four boys were silent once Splinter entered the dojo. He sat down across from them.

"Today, my sons, I would like you to try something new," he began. "I know this may be a difficult thing for five-year-old children to do, but before we begin each lesson, I would like us to have a meditation session. I am going to teach the four of you to meditate."

Raph raised his hand.

"Yes, Raphael?"

"Is that that thing that you do when you sit still with your eyes closed for a long time?"

"Yes it is," he replied. "First thing I want you all to do is sit up straight."

All four straightened their backs and awaited their next order.

"Good," Splinter praised. "Now, I want you to practice taking deep, steady breaths."

First, he demonstrated and then they followed his example.

"Very good," he praised. "Now I want you all to close your eyes and continue to breath steadily, being as still as you can be. Try to concentrate on nothing but your own breathing."

Mikey, never one to be fond of sitting still, was still all of about thirty seconds. His torso began to gradually sway back and fourth. Then his nose conveniently started to itch, so he quickly reached up and scratched it.

Splinter heard the sound of scratching skin and peaked an eye open. None of his sons were perfectly still. Leo swayed a bit, Raph kept squinting and relaxing his eyelids, Donnie kept moving his fingers around, and Mikey kept moving his feet.

"Michelangelo," he said, "you must sit still. Please stop moving your feet. Raphael, please try to relax your eyes and Donatello, you must not move even your fingers so much. Leonardo, you're swaying a little. Try not to do that. You all must try and relax as much as possible so you can remain still."

After a few minutes, they all began to catch on...except Mikey. In fact, he had gotten a bit worse. He was grunting simultaneously, still trying to scratch itches in random parts of his body, stifling occasional giggles, and though trying to be more subtle, he was still moving his arms and feet.

Splinter sighed when Mikey grunted yet again. "Michelangelo, you must be quiet. Please stop making noise."

It was silent for a few more seconds, until Splinter again heard the sound of another itch being scratched. He grew a tad frustrated, but decided not to speak this time.

Next he heard Mikey's foot shift yet again. He sighed. "Michelangelo," he said, "I will tell you again; you must _sit still_."

No movement was heard for another two minutes until he heard the sound of laughter being stifled again. He opened his eyes and looked sternly at Mikey.

"Michelangelo, I have had it!" He nearly shouted. "If you are not going to even try, then you may go sit in the corner!"

"But, Sensei..."

"I do not want to hear it. Go!"

Mikey groaned and went to the corner by the entrance and hid his face in it.

For thirty minutes, Mikey wound up standing in that corner while his father and brothers meditated.

"Michelangelo, you may join us now," Splinter said. "We will begin schooling and I hope you have learned your lesson."

"Hai, Sensei," Mikey mumbled and returned to his spot next to Donnie.

"Today you are going to read 'Green Eggs and Ham' together," Splinter instructed and set the hardback book down in front of them. "Who wants to begin?"

Leo and Donnie both raised their hand at the same time.

"Leonardo, why don't you begin and we will go down the line?"

"Hai, Sensei," he said. He began to carefully read. "_I am S-sam. S-sam I am._"

Next Raphael read. "_Th-that Sam-I-am. That Sam-I-am. I do not...likee...like that Sam-I-am._"

Then Donnie eagerly read. "_Do you like green eggs and ham_?"

Mikey nervously scanned the following page. The words looked to him like they were running together as if they had minds of their own and wanted nothing more than to confuse him. "_I...b...boe..._?" He began to very carefully sound out the words.

"Do," Splinter corrected gently and gave him an encouraging smile, and nodded, urging him to go on. "That is not a 'b', my son, it is a 'd'."

"_Do...n-o-o-t...not l-l-i-i-k-k-k-ee..._"

"Like," Splinter corrected again.

Mikey began to grow more tense. He felt his face getting hot.

"_t-t-h-e-m...S-a-a-m-I-a-m...I...d-d...do...n-..."_

"_I do not like green eggs and ham..._" Donnie finished for him.

Splinter gave him a stern look. "Donatello, Michelangelo was reading that page. It is not nice to interrupt and do it for him."

"But he reads too slow!" Donnie argued. "And he reads all the words wrong!"

"Donatello!"Splinter scolded a bit harder. "He is still learning. Everyone learns at their own pace. It will not help to make him feel bad. Now, tell him you are sorry."

"Sorry, Mikey..."

Mikey only nodded.

"I am sorry, Michelangelo," Splinter said. "Why don't you read the next page?"

Mikey wouldn't show it, but he was not pleased. He stared at the following page. Again, the words looked like they were running together.

"_M..m..._"

"No, my son, that is a 'W', not an 'M'. Try again."

"_W-on..._"

"No, that is a 'u', not an 'n'," Splinter corrected, trying to be as gentle as possible, noticing the distress in his son's face.

"_W-o-u-l-b..._"

"No, my sweet, that is a 'd'..."

Mikey pouted and stared at the page a few seconds longer before a tear fell from his eye and dropped on the page.

Splinter sighed and scooped him up. "Oh, come here," he said and hugged him. "Do not cry, my son. You are doing just fine."

"C-can't read..."

"Of course you can," Splinter rubbed his shell. "You are very intelligent. Just keep trying. There is no rush."

Splinter set him back down in front of the book. "Try again," he said.

Mikey sighed. "_W-w-o-u-ld...v..o..u...vou..."_

"You," Splinter corrected.

"_Would you...l-i-k-e...like...tnew..._"

Splinter sighed. "Them..."

"_them...n-e-r-ee..._"

"Here."

"_Here...o-r...or...t-n-e-r-ee..."_

"There."

He frowned. He could barely read one word on his own.

"Good job," Splinter praised.

"_I w-would not...like...th-them...here..._" Leo went on.

* * *

"That is all for today my sons," he said once they finished the book. "You all did very well."

"'cept Mikey," Raph added.

"Raphael!" Splinter scolded. "That's not kind. Michelangelo did just fine. Now I am going to make lunch. Would you like to help me, Michelangelo?"

Mikey finally smiled. "Uh-huh!"

Splinter chuckled. "Okay, go wash your hands and meet me in the kitchen."

Mikey went to the bathroom and hastily washed his hands and then rushed back to the kitchen as instructed. Splinter lifted him up and set him on the counter next to the stove.

He handed him a wooden spoon. "Can you stir this pot for me?"

Mikey nodded eagerly and carefully stirred the algae and water in the nearly boiling pot.

"Good," Splinter praised. "You're a big help."

Mikey smiled and nodded. He suddenly got the urge to rest his free hand on something, so he reached for the handle on the pot, which he instantly regretted because it burnt his fingers.

He recoiled and gasped. "Ow!" he cried and dropped the wooden spoon on the floor.

Splinter quickly turned to him and saw him holding his hand as the tears he had seen one too many times today were once again staining his son's face.

"Oh no," he said taking Mikey's burnt hand into his own. "Did you burn yourself?"

Mikey nodded. "This is the worst day ever!"

"Aw, now why do you say that?"

Mikey sobbed. "I missed breakfast because I slept too long, I broke a plate, I couldn't meditate and I got in trouble, I can't read, and now I burned my hand doing my favorite thing!"

Splinter sighed and wrapped him in a hug. He pulled away and looked him in the eyes.

"Michelangelo," he said, "I can see that you've had quite a bit of misfortune today, but that is alright. Everyone has bad days sometimes, but you know what? It always gets better if you let it."

"B-but I-I can't read n-no matter how h-hard I tr-ry, a-and m-meditating is h-hard, and I can't e-even cook without m-messing up," Mikey choked. "I-I can't do an-nything right."

"My son, you are very talented and very intelligent just like your brothers," Splinter said. "If you take a little longer to read, then that's okay. You just do your best and that's all that matters. I will always be proud of you."

Mikey sniffed.

"However, I do want you to try harder to meditate. I know you can do it."

Mikey nodded, wiping his eyes.

Splinter smiled and handed him a new, clean wooden spoon.

"We will worry about those things tomorrow. How about now you just be my little chef?"

Mikey smiled and took the spoon. "I like to cook."

Splinter ruffled his bandana and chuckled. "I know you do."


	9. 009 - Holiday

**Holiday**

"Daddy..." Leo quietly tried to get his father's attention.

Splinter sat in his dojo meditating, having given his sons the afternoon off from learning, it being a Saturday. He had sent them into the living room to watch cartoons, hoping that it'd give him a few hours peace.

"Daddy...?"

His ears twitched, trying not to acknowledge the child. Maybe then he would return to watching cartoons. Not so; Leo crawled into his lap and poked his nose.

"Psst, Daddy?" his voice got a little louder.

Splinter sighed and finally opened his eyes. "What is it, Leonardo?"

His four-year-old son gazed up at him with curious dark blue eyes. "Um...I was watching the TV and I saw this commercial about this thing: it was called Father's Day, and I was wondering...what is Father's Day?"

Splinter grinned. "Well, my son, what do _you_ think Father's Day is?"

Leo scratched his head in thought. "Is it when all the daddies in the world go back to the daddy planet to fight all the bad guys to keep the earth safe until next year?"

Splinter chuckled and ruffled Leo's bandana. "Not quite. Father's day is a day when people honor and give thanks to their fathers."

"Why do they do that?"

"To show their appreciation. You see, my son, it is a lot of work to be a father; to care for your children when they are sick, to keep them fed, keep them safe, and to keep them sheltered, and endless other things."

Leo nodded. "Is that tomorrow?"

"It must be," Splinter replied. He hadn't really been paying much attention to the calendar.

Leo jumped up and hugged him around his neck.

"Thanks, daddy," he said and with that, he ran back to the living room.

Splinter shook his head and laughed at his son's relentless energy.

* * *

"Guys! Guys!" Leo chirped and ran to stand in front of the television that his brothers were glued to.

Raph groaned. "Leo, move!"

"Wait, listen to this; tomorrow is this thing called Father's Day," Leo began.

"Oh hey, we just heard about that on the TV," Donnie added. "Isn't that when you, like, do stuff for your daddy?"

"Yeah I guess," Leo replied. "Anyway, I was thinking we should do something nice for daddy."

"Like what?" Mikey asked.

Leo hesitated. "I...haven't thought that far ahead yet."

"Well get back to us when you think of something," Raph said nonchalantly. "Now, get out of the way so we can get back to watching cartoons."

Leo turned and switched the television off.

"Hey!" Raph yelled. "What's the big idea?"

"We gotta think of something together," Leo demanded. "It's gotta be special from all of us!"

Mikey jumped to his feet and grinned from ear to ear. "I'm in!"

Donnie sat up and shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

Raph groaned. "Do we have to do it now? I don't feel like it."

"Oh come on, Raphie! It'll be fun," Mikey cheered. He grabbed Raph by his wrist and tried to pull him to his feet, but Raph resisted.

He sighed. "Fine, I'll do it. But this better not be lame."

* * *

The four boys sat in a circle around a bunch of crayons, glue, and large sheets of paper.

"So," Leo began, "what are some things that we know daddy loves?"

"Us!" Mikey chirped.

Raph rolled his eyes. "Obviously..."

"Okay, we'll keep that in mind," Leo said, "we could use that. What else?"

"He loves ninja stuff," Donnie added.

Mikey giggled. "He loves that _a lot_."

"There's that picture that he stares at all the time," Raph added. "The one of the man, the lady, and the baby."

"Hey, yeah," Donnie replied. "He likes that a lot. Maybe we could draw him a picture of the peoples in the picture."

Mikey lit up. "Yeah and we can put us _and_ a bunch of ninja stuff on it! It'd be like an explosion of the stuff that daddy likes!"

Leo nodded. "I like it."

"Can I draw the baby?" Mikey chirped. "I wanna draw the baby!"

Leo shrugged. "Okay, Mikey, you can draw the baby."

"Yes!"

"Well, I'm gonna draw daddy," Raph said.

"Whatever, guys, let's just get this done," Leo said, kneeling down over the large paper and picking up a crayon.

Splinter stood over the stove, cooking dinner for his little family.

* * *

"Daddy! Daddy!" Leo cried out, running in from the dojo.

Splinter knelt down to his level. "What is it, my son?"

"You gotta come here now!" He panicked. "We were all playing in the dojo and Mikey hurt his foot and there's a lot of blood! He's hurt!"

Splinter hastily turned off the burner on the stove and followed his oldest son to the dojo to aid his injured son. When he entered, he was taken off-guard by his three youngest sons standing together, holding a large sheet of paper.

"Surprise!"

Splinter sighed with relief. "My sons, you should not joke about any of you being injured," he scolded. "You had me worried."

"Sorry, daddy," Leo said. "I just needed to get you in here fast."

Splinter regained his composure. "Alright," he smiled. "Now what is this about?"

"Well, I know it's not 'til tomorrow," Leo began, "but we were just too excited..."

"Happy Father's Day!" the three youngest chirped and handed him the large sheet of paper.

The paper was a picture of two human-like stick figures, one male and one female, the female holding a smiling baby in her arms. Next to them was a stick figure with a rat's head, and around all of them were four little green stick figures with shells, each of them wearing a different color bandana. The background was made up of a bunch of sloppily-drawn ninja weapons.

Leo pointed to each of the turtles. "See? That's me, and that's Raphie, and Donnie, and Mikey." He pointed to the rat-like figure. "That's you, and those people are from that picture that you look at all the time and like so much."

"I drew the baby!" Mikey chirped.

"And those are all ninja weapons 'cuz we know you love ninja stuff," Raph added.

Splinter could not find words to say as he fought the tears that welled up in his eyes.

"Daddy..." Donnie spoke up. "Do you like it?"

Splinter looked to all of them and smiled. "I love it." He knelt down and spread his arms far apart, inviting them all into a group hug. "Thank you so much, my sons." He kissed each of their heads and then released them. "How about you all go get washed up? Dinner will be ready very soon."

They all obeyed and left the dojo.

Splinter took another long glance at the poignant drawing.

He sighed. "Someday," he said.


	10. 010 - Silence

**Silence**

"_Ow, Raphie! Waaah!_"

Splinter's peaceful meditation session was shattered by the sound of a screaming Michelangelo.

He sighed and began the countdown. "_three...two...one..._"

"Da-a-d-y-y-y!"

Michelangelo burst through the dojo's entrance, sobbing and holding onto his arm.

"What happened, Michelangelo?"

"Raphie..." He began, but stopped to catch a breath. "R-raphie...he h-hit me..."

Raph burst through the entrance. "He's lying!"

"N-nuh-uh! Daddy h-he hit me!"

"Boys, enough!" Splinter's voice rose as he came to his feet. "Now, one at a time. Michelangelo, what happened?"

Mikey sniffled. "W-we were pl-laying Go Fish with th-the cards a-and...a-and I..."

"...and Mikey wouldn't stop spitting on me and Raph every time someone said 'Go Fish'!" Donnie barged in and added.

"Donatello," Splinter scolded, "I was asking Michelangelo. You must wait your turn if you have any input."

Donnie groaned and crossed his arms. "Hai, Sensei."

"He's lying!" Leo shouted as he too burst into the dojo.

Splinter sighed.

"Mikey was just joking around and making fart noises and Raphie and Donnie got mad, so Raphie hit him!"

"Please, my sons," Splinter's voice rose again, "I was asking Michelangelo. You will all get a chance to speak. Michelangelo, please continue."

"W-what Leo said..." Mikey pouted. "I-I was j-just making noise w-with my mouth. The g-game needed s-sound effects. R-Raphie got mad a-and hit me in my arm."

Splinter turned to his son with the infamous short temper. "Is this true, Raphael?"

"No!" Raph argued defensively. "Mikey was making that noise 'cuz he wanted to spit on me and Donnie! I didn't hit him! I just pushed his arm to get him to stop."

"He cried 'cuz he's being a baby!" Donnie added.

"I'm not a baby!" Mikey retorted.

"Raphie did too hit him," Leo said. "He punched him in the arm!"

"Enough!" Splinter shouted. "Michelangelo, I am sure you meant no harm in making your 'sound effects'; however, if your brothers complained that you were spitting on them, then you should not have continued."

Mikey looked down shamefully. "Hai, Sensei."

Raph stuck his tongue out at Mikey out of spite.

"Raphael," Splinter scolded, "I hardly believe that your brother was crying because you only _pushed _on his arm. I understand that you did not like that Michelangelo was mistakenly spitting on you, but it is no reason to hit him, nor does it solve anything."

Raph groaned. "Hai, Sensei."

"Leonardo and Donatello," he continued, "you should not take sides when you can plainly see that both of your brothers are wrong. Donatello, you _knew _that Raphael hit Michelangelo, and Leonardo, you could see that Michelangelo _was _spitting on your brothers. If you are going to defend them, then you must tell the whole truth."

"Hai, Sensei," they said in unison.

"Good," Splinter said. "Now, I want to hear an apology between each of you."

Mikey reluctantly turned to Raph. "Sorry if I was spitting on you, Raphie. I just wanted to make some noises to make the game more fun. You shoulda told me I was."

Raph glared. "I _did _tell you! A hundred times, but you didn't listen!"

"Well maybe if you' were nicer, I woulda listened to you!"

"And maybe if you had listened, Raphie wouldn't have hit you!" Donnie spat.

"Well maybe if you guys weren't such jerks, then Mikey's sounds wouldn't have bothered you so much!" Leo retorted.

Splinter groaned. "Enough of this!" he shouted.

The boys jumped and immediately were snapped to into attention.

Splinter sighed. "I have an idea. How about we play a game. It is called 'The Quiet Game'."

Mikey perked up. "How do you play?"

Splinter grinned. "Whoever can be quiet for the longest amount of time wins."

"I bet I can do it!" Raph chirped. "I bet I can do it better than any of you!"

"What are the rules?" Leo asked.

"The rules are that you must be as quiet as you can: no laughing, no talking, no noise-making, or engaging in any activities that will make a large amount of sounds."

"Well, what about sneezing or burping or farting?" Mikey asked.

"Those things are fine, as long as they are natural and not being done just to make noise," Splinter replied.

"What do we get if we win?" Donnie asked.

"You will find in time," Splinter smirked. "It starts in three...two...one..." He gave them the signal to begin by putting his index finger to his mouth. He sat down and returned to his meditation.

The boys left the dojo to begin their silent challenge.

Leo decided that he would follow his father's example. He sat Indian-style in the middle of the living room floor and tried to focus his wandering five-year-old mind. He closed his eyes and took steady breaths, trying to relax all of his muscles. Gradually, he controlled his mind to focus only on his breaths and before long, his mind and body were in a fully relaxed and concentrated state.

Raph, not usually one to enjoy silent activities, sat on the couch trying to think of something energetic yet quiet that he could do. How could he keep his body moving without making much noise? He saw Leo meditating and thought of morning training. That was it!

Raph got into position down on the floor and began to stretch his muscles before he went to doing as many push ups as his small body could withstand.

Donnie never found it hard to find a quiet activity to do at all. Most of his favorite activities possessed a low noise level.

He went to the room that he and Mikey shared and pulled a book out from under his blankets. He had been secretly reading it before he fell asleep every night when he was supposed to have already been sleeping.

The brainy turtle returned to the living room and planted himself on the couch, eager to engage in a quiet activity knowing that his brothers had to be quiet as well.

Mikey, being the most playful and energetic, hated trying to find a quiet activity. He moped off to his room and slumped down on his bed, not sure of what else he could possibly do. His eyes scanned around his room, paying particular attention to his past drawings that hung on the wall. Maybe he could color some more? He went to his cardboard box of belongings and retrieved a small stack of papers and a worn-out box of Crayola crayons.

Mikey grinned from the artistic inspiration and took off for the living room where he plopped down on the floor on his stomach and began to draw a picture of himself cooking in their kitchen.

Before any of the little turtles knew it, three hours of silence had gone by. Leo was still meditating, Raph had fallen asleep on the couch after a hard workout, Donnie had nearly finished the book that he had been reading, and Mikey had already drawn countless pictures of things that he loved: worms and algae, his family, cartoons, and the sunshine (though he'd only seldom seen it).

Splinter finally emerged from his quarters and was pleased to see that his sons had been engaging in rather productive activities.

"My sons," he announced, "the game is now over. It is okay to make noise again."

Raph, only being in a light sleep, sat up and yawned. "Who wins?" he asked.

Splinter grinned. "You all win."

Mikey picked up a piece of paper and handed it to Splinter. "I drew this for you, daddy!"

Splinter knelt down and accepted the drawing, draping an arm around his young artist's shell. "This is very creative, Michelangelo. Why don't you explain to me what is happening in this picture?"

Mikey pointed to the large figure in the middle. "That's you meditating and there next to you, that blue guy, that's Leo, he's meditating too, and over there is Raphie, he's exercising, and there's Donnie reading a book, and over there is me, drawing a picture. It's our family doing what we did today." He looked at his father with hope in his eyes. "Do you like it?"

Splinter smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love it. I am very proud of all of you. You were able to set a goal and focus on a task and complete it. Very good."

The boys said nothing, but simply smiled back.

"So when is dinner?" Raph piped up. "I'm starving."

"I was just off to make it now," Splinter stood up and made his way to their kitchen.

Mikey ran after him. "Can I help, daddy? I wanna help!"

Splinter chuckled. "Of course you can. I could not do it without my little helper."


	11. 011 - Turtles

**Turtles**

Mikey and Donnie sat cross-legged across from each other on their bedroom floor. Splinter had told Donnie to help tutor Michelangelo so that he could read and understand his letters better.

Donnie flipped through his hardback alphabet book, reminding himself to pay particularly close attention to the letters that Mikey seemed to have trouble with. He flipped to the letter "B" first.

"Okay, Mikey, what is this letter?"

Mikey giggled. "That kinda looks like a butt."

Donnie sighed. "No, Mikey..." an idea dawned upon him, "...actually, we could work with that. What is the beginning sound in 'butt'?"

Mikey blew a raspberry. "Toot!" he laughed.

Donnie groaned. "No, Mikey, pay attention. What is the beginning letter sound in the word 'butt'?"

Mikey sounded out the word. "B-b...'B'!"

"Right! Good, now you can use that to remember the letter 'B' from now on. 'B' looks like a butt."

"'B' looks like a butt," Mikey repeated with a goofy grin.

Donnie pointed to the lowercase 'b'. "This is a 'B' too. It's a lowercase 'B'. Remember, the difference between the lowercase 'B' and the lowercase 'D' is that the 'b' _faces_ to the right and the 'd' faces to the left. Now, when you write or draw pictures, which hand do you usually use?"

"Daddy says I'm right-handed," Mikey replied.

"Okay, so when you write a lowercase 'b', make sure it is facing the hand that you are writing with, and make sure the 'd' faces away from it."

Mikey nodded. "'b' faces my hand, 'd' turns away. Got it!"

Donnie then pointed to the picture on the page; it was of a bug. "Now can you read this? What is this picture of?"

"A ladybug!" Mikey chirped.

Donnie frowned. "No, Mikey, read the word."

"B-b-n-p..."

Donnie cocked an eyebrow. "Mikey, there's no 'n' or 'p' anywhere in that word. That's a 'u' and a 'g'. We've gone over those a bunch of times."

Mikey pouted. "S-sorry, Donnie. I-I thought it was right."

Donnie sighed. "Okay, that's a 'b', a 'u', and a 'g'. What does that spell?"

"B-b-u-u-g...bug?"

"Right, good!" Donnie then turned to the letter 'T'. "I'll give you an easier one this time."

"That's a 'T'!" Mikey chirped.

"Good, now what does this say?" Donnie pointed to the word 'turtle' underneath a picture of a turtle.

"T-t-n-r-r-t-i-e-e...?"

Donnie sighed again. "No, Mikey, there's no 'I' or 'n' in there. That's a 'u' and an 'l', and the 'e' at the end is silent. It makes no sound. Try again."

"T-t-u-u-r-r-t-t-l-l...Turtle?"

"Good!"

Mikey scratched his head. "But...that's not a turtle! _We're_ turtles,and that thing looks nothing like us."

"It's not important, Mikey," Donnie dismissed. "Come on, let's do another letter."

Before Donnie could turn the page, Mikey had ripped the book out of his hand to get a closer look at the turtle on the page.

"Well, it has a shell, but nothing else looks like us," Mikey went on.

Donnie groaned, exasperated. "Mikey, come on, stop it. I told daddy that I would help you read better, now you have to pay attention."

"That's it!" Mikey perked up. "I'll go ask daddy!"

Before Donnie could protest, Mikey had disappeared.

"Mikey!" he hollered, running after him. "Come back here! You have to learn!"

"Daddy! Daddy!" Mikey burst into Splinter's bedroom and sat down in front of him, interrupting his meditation.

Splinter sighed. "What is it, Michelangelo?"

Mikey showed him the page with the turtle. "Daddy, this book says that that thing is a turtle, but that looks nothing like us. Is the book lying?"

Splinter chuckled. "No, my son, the book is not lying. That _is_ a turtle."

Mikey looked baffled.

Donnie burst in behind him. "Daddy, I swear, I was trying to tutor him, but he..."

"It is quite alright, Donatello," Splinter interrupted. "Michelangelo just had a question, a quite understandable question." He turned back to Mikey. "Yes, that is a turtle, and so are you."

"Well, why don't we look alike?"

"Well, my son, you and your brothers..." he hesitated telling them about their mutation. He sighed. "You and your brothers do not look like that because you are _special_ turtles."

"Special turtles?" Donnie asked. "How so?"

"You are more like the humans. You know those people you always see on the television?"

Donnie and Mikey nodded.

"You have skin, shells, and faces like turtles, but you are shaped and act like humans," he clarified.

"But why?" Donnie asked.

Splinter decided he would not tell them about their mutation just yet; they just wouldn't understand it.

"I do not know, my sons. You were this way when I found you. What I _did_ know is that each and every one of you were special." He ruffled Mikey's bandana.

"So...we're _not_ turtles?" Donnie tried to conclude.

"Yes, you are, but you are not like _that _turtle because you are special."

Mikey grinned. "Oh okay. I get it!"

Splinter smiled. "I knew you would. Now go back to tutoring. You've got some reading that I know you can get too."

"Hai, Sensei..."


	12. 012 - Blood

**Blood**

Six-year-old Leonardo sat in front of the TV watching cartoons, and stopped to carefully observe the actions of his brothers. Splinter had entrusted him to watch over his three younger brothers while he took a nap.

Donatello, his prodigy of a little brother, sat on the couch reading a book about genetics. The same book he'd been reading for the past three days.

Raphael was punching his homemade punching bag that he'd made out of a pillow case and several pounds of dirt.

Michelangelo...wait, where was Mikey? Several minutes before he had been enjoying the cartoon with Leo, and now the spot on the couch where he sat was vacant.

"Guys, where did Mikey go?"

"Beats me," Raph grunted.

Donnie shrugged.

"Well, Donnie, I heard him talking to you only a little while ago," Leo responded, "and he was sitting right next to you. How did you not see where he went?"

"I don't know," Donnie replied nonchalantly. "I mean I saw him get up, but he didn't say where he was going and I didn't ask."

Leo sighed and stood up. "I guess I gotta go find him then."

The first place he thought to look was in Mikey and Donnie's bedroom.

"Mikey?" he called before entering the doorway. He looked around. "You in here?"

There was no answer. He thought he saw a lump under the sheets on Mikey's bed, so he lifted the blankets only to find Mikey's teddy bear and their spare pillow.

"So that's where our spare pillow went..."

He then decided he would check under the bed. Mikey had a tendency to hide under the bed when he'd done something bad that no one knew about yet, but were certain to find out.

"What could it be this time?" He peaked under the bed, and although there were many out-of-place things there, not a one of them was his little brother.

He sighed and gave up on the bedroom, deciding next to check the bathroom.

When he reached the room, the door was wide open, which in Mikey's case, wouldn't rule it out since Mikey almost always went without closing the door or even turning on the light at times.

"Mikey?"

No answer. The bathroom was completely dark and still. He flipped on the light. No Mikey.

He left and thought to check his father's room. Maybe he decided to lay down with Splinter. Even at six-years-old, Mikey could be overly dependent on their father at times.

Leo entered the dojo and stood in front of Splinter's door hesitantly. Was finding Mikey in there really worth possibly disturbing his father for nothing? He swallowed hard and slowly reached for the door.

He stopped in mid-reach when he heard something drop to the hard floor on the other side of the dojo, followed by a quiet whimper.

Leo turned and cautiously walked around the giant tree in the center. "S-sensei?" he stammered. "Father, i-is that you?"

Once he got around to the other side of the tree he saw Mikey sitting on the floor in front of Splinter's open weapon closet, his back turned to him.

"Mikey! There you are!" He breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you doing in here?"

Mikey did not answer him. He did not even move or look at him.

"Mikey," he snapped. "I'm talking to you. What are you doing in daddy's weapons?"

"N-nothing..." Mikey said in a barely audible squeak.

Leo finally walked up next to him. "You're doing something, or else you-"

His voice trailed off when he saw red. A lot of it. In rivers, blood ran all down Mikey's forearm and all over his hands.

Leo gasped. "Mikey, what did you do?!" He knelt down beside him and took his little brother's wrists into his hands.

"I-I...I h-had an accident..." Mikey said, tears flooding his big baby blue eyes.

Leo helped him to his feet. "Come on," he said, "we gotta get daddy, right now!"

* * *

Splinter was blown awake by the sound of tiny fists banging on his giant bedroom doors.

"Daddy!" he heard Leo's muffled voice holler. "Daddy! You gotta come out! Mikey's hurt! He's bleeding a lot!"

Before his eyes had fully opened, upon hearing his oldest son's cries he was off of his cot and at his door. His eyes were fully awakened at the abundance of blood that covered his youngest son's arm and plastron.

"Michelangelo!" he cried, immediately scooping him up into his arms. "What has happened? Where...where are you bleeding from?"

Mikey only pointed to his right forearm and Splinter instantly took it into his hand and examined it.

"H-how did you do this?"

"He cut himself on the weapons!" Leo piped up.

"_My _weapons?" he turned to Michelangelo. "You _know _better than to go into my weapons closet!"

"I-I'm sorry..."

Splinter wasted no more time to grab his first-aid kit and take Mikey into the bathroom. He set him in the tub and and turned on the faucet, and began to clean the blood off of his hands, arms, and plastron, being extra careful to make sure that he cleaned out the large gash itself.

"I am very disappointed in you, Michelangelo..." he kept saying under his breath. "What were you thinking?"

Each time, Mikey would not answer. He would only look at him with a hurt expression.

Finally, he bandaged up his son's forearm and pulled him on of the tub. He sat him down on the toilet, knelt down, and firmly looked him straight in the eyes.

"Michelangelo, you need to talk to me. Why did you get into my weapons?"

A tear finally escaped Mikey's eye as he nervously looked down at his hands. "D-Donnie...he told me..."

"Donatello? What did you he tell you?" he urged.

"H-he told m-me that...that you-you're not our r-real daddy 'c-cuz...we d-don't have the same b-blood..."

Splinter looked confused.

"My son, that does not..." he trailed off when a highly disturbing thought occurred to him. "Michelangelo, look at me."

Mikey reluctantly met his father's serious gaze.

"Michelangelo, did you do this to yourself on purpose?"

Mikey bit his lip and nodded.

Splinter's heart sunk as he tried to wrap his head around his six-year-old inflicting harm on himself intentionally.

He sighed. "Why did you do that to yourself? Why would you wanna harm yourself?"

"I didn't wanna h-hurt myself. I-I knew it would h-hurt, but I guess I d-didn't care. I-I wanted y-you to have my blood so you could be my daddy for real. D-Donnie says we h-have to have the s-same blood."

Splinter did his best to swallow the lump in his throat as he scooped up his son and took him to the living room with the rest of his sons.

"My sons, we need to have a family talk," he said, picking up the remote and turning the TV off.

He sat down on the couch with Mikey on his lap and his older three gathered around him on the floor.

Splinter sighed. "Donatello, Michelangelo has brought it to my attention that you explained to him that I am not your 'real' father because we are not related. Is this true?"

Donnie nodded. "Yes daddy. I learned from my new book that a child is called an offspring and they share genetics with their father. That's what makes them a father. I know we can't possibly be related because we have no mommy and we're turtles and you're a rat..."

"I did not want you all to find out this way, but yes, it is true that we are not related by blood. However, that does not mean that I am not your father and you are not my sons. A father teaches, loves, and cares for his children. I do that for all of you, do I not?"

All four boys nodded in unison.

"I want you all to listen carefully. I love each and every one of you very _very _much, and I would never want any of you to believe that I would love you less because we do not share blood," he firmly looked each of them in the eye.

"And Michelangelo, drawing your own blood that way was very dangerous. You could have gotten seriously hurt. On top of that, you know that you are not to touch my weapons or even go in my weapons closet."

"I know, daddy," he pouted. "I'm really sorry. I just really thought that..."

"I see your misunderstanding," Splinter interrupted. "However, it does not excuse your disobedience."

"H-hai, Sensei," he replied.

Splinter sighed. "Remember this, my sons: I once had a child that I was related to by blood, one that I held at birth, and I love each of you just as much as I loved her. You are _all_ my children." He gestured for them all to get up on the couch and hug him, and they did without any second bidding.

For several minutes, the whole family sat silently.

"Daddy?" Mikey finally piped up.

"Yes, my son?"

He held up his forearm to his father's face. "You forgot to kiss my booboo."

Splinter chuckled and pressed his lips to the bandaged arm and then the little one's cheek.

**A/N: I wanted this one to not be so Mikey-centric. I kind of wanted to have themes that I worked around each of them, but I couldn't picture any of the other 3 in this position. Perhaps the next theme?**


	13. 013 - Gray

**Gray**

Splinter emerged from his quarters to check on his six-year-old sons. He had entrusted them to engage in quiet activities and look after each other while he meditated. He was pleased to see that they had complied.

Michelangelo and Donatello, his two youngest, sat at the table with papers, crayons, and pencils scattered all over. They engaged in their own conversation all the while.

Leonardo and Raphael sat in the living room; Leo watching cartoons (as always) and Raph looking through the pictures in a comic book he could not yet read.

"I can see you have all found ways to quietly entertain yourselves," he praised. "Thank you for cooperating."

"You're welcome, daddy," Leo was the only one that spoke up.

Splinter looked over Raph's shoulder at what he was 'reading'. "Raphael, are you able to read any of that?" he asked.

Raph shook his head. "I can read some of the words, but not a lot of em. I'm mostly just looking at the pictures. Leo doesn't watch anything good on TV, and all Mikey and Donnie wanna do is draw and color."

Splinter chuckled. "I'm sure in time you will be able to read the whole thing."

Raph shrugged and returned to looking at pictures.

Splinter went into the kitchen and sat between Mikey and Donnie.

Mikey smiled. "Hi, Daddy. You have a nice nap?"

"My son, I wasn't napping. I was meditating," he corrected with a light smile. "What are you drawing?"

"Outside," Mikey replied. "See? That's the sky, and that's the ground, and over there is some water."

"That is lovely," Splinter grinned. "You are quite the artist. How about you, Donatello? What are you drawing?"

"Solar system," Donnie mumbled

"I see. Have you been reading about astronomy?"

Donnie nodded.

"Very nice." Splinter observed the picture and noticed something off about it. "Why is there no color in your drawing, my son?"

Donnie shrugged. "I don't really like the colors."

Mikey gasped. "You don't like the colors?! Well...how come? They're so pretty!"

"I just don't really believe in them."

"You do not believe? What do you mean? Colors are all around you," Splinter said.

Donnie sighed. "I mean I do believe in some colors: gray, black, white, red...I just don't believe that they exist...out there..."

"Of course they do," Mikey chirped. "Haven't you seen the stuff on the TV? The sky is blue, the ground is green, sometimes black, sometimes brown, the trees are green, the people are all kinds of colors, and so are the animals."

"But that's my point," Donnie argued. "Sensei, you told us that everything we see on TV isn't real, and I've only seen those things on TV. Mikey, have you _ever seen_ a blue sky with your own eyes?"

Mikey thought hard. "Uh..."

"..or green grass or brown dirt, or black pavement, or even a yellow sun?"

Mikey frowned. "No..."

"Then how can you believe it's there? You know you can't trust the TV."

Splinter shook his head. "Donatello..."

Donnie sighed. "I drew and colored my solar system with a pencil because that's the only color I see, so it's the only color I believe exists. I don't care what my books say."

Mikey's lip quivered. "No, there has to be colors..."

Splinter patted him on the shoulder for reassurance. "Of course there are colors out there, my sons."

"How do you know that?" Donnie groaned.

"I have seen," Splinter replied. "My sons, I used to live on the surface when I was human. I have told you this before."

"I-is there a sun a-and a blue s-sky...and green tr-rees?" Mikey pouted.

Splinter smiled. "Yes, Michelangelo, there absolutely is."

Donnie looked down and shook his head in disbelief.

"However, my sons, in spite of it's beautiful colors, it was the grayest world I had ever known."

Both of his youngest sons looked confused.

"Allow me to explain. All of the colors that you have seen on TV, they exist, but down here in the sewers, there has been more color than I've known in my life for a very long time."

"That's not possible, Sensei," Donnie argued. "There's no color down here but gray and maybe some brown."

"My life here with you is much more lively than it was when I lived alone on the surface, where I can _see _the colors, but not feel them, and when you cannot _feel_ colors, everything simply looks gray."

Donnie sighed.

"My son, you cannot just not believe in color because you cannot see it. You have to feel it to believe it," Splinter went on. "Tell me, and be honest, what do you love about your life here?"

Donnie thought. "Well...I love my brothers, and you, and I love being able to read my books, and I love learning time, and sometimes watching TV, or hiking around the sewers..."

"Are you often deprived of these things?"

"No, most of them I get to do everyday."

"Wanna know what I love?" Mikey piped up, standing on his chair with excitement.

Splinter chuckled. "What do you love?"

"I love daddy, and Donnie, and Leo, and Raphie, and coloring, and singing, and eating, and cooking, and drawing, and playing games, and watching TV, and swimming, and taking baths, and..."

"See? Michelangelo can feel a lot of color," Splinter grinned at Donnie. "Now, tell me, are you happy with your life down here?"

Donnie nodded.

Mikey grinned. "Can I _taste_ colors?" He picked up his yellow crayon. "I bet this one tastes like lemons." He tried to put it in his mouth, but was stopped by his father.

"Do not fill up on crayons, my son or else you will spoil your dinner."

Mikey and Splinter laughed. Donnie smiled.


	14. 014 - Foreign

**Foreign**

"Raphie, look!" Two-year-old Leonardo called out to his slightly younger brother.

Raph crawled out from under the blankets that he was burrowing through on his father's bed.

"What you got?" he asked, his eyes scanning the leather wallet in Leo's hands.

"Don't know, but pretty stuff in it," Leo replied as he dumped the contents all over the floor. Dollars, coins, and several shiny cards tumbled out.

Raph's green eyes sparkled in awe. "Whoa..." He crouched down and picked up one of the shiny cards. It was a sparkly golden one.

Donnie crawled out of Splinter's closet and saw his two older brothers crouched down over something. "Wha' you lookin' at?"

Leo grinned. "Shiny stuff!"

"_I_ see!" Donnie rose to his feet and waddled over to his brothers. He picked up a quarter. "_Is_ shiny...Daddy shiny stuff?"

Leo nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Why daddy...no share shiny stuff?" Donnie asked.

"Don't know..." Raph replied and bit the end of the card, and then blew a raspberry. "Yucky! Shiny taste yucky!"

"Raphie, shiny not food," Donnie scolded.

Mikey waddled in the room with his teddy bear in hand. "Wha'...doin'?" he asked.

The three sneaky older brothers looked to each other with mutual glances.

"Nuffin', Mikey," Leo replied. "Go back TV."

"Wha 'sat?" Mikey asked, staring at the shiny objects that his brothers gathered around.

"Is nuffin'!" Raph snapped. "Go 'way!"

Mikey waddled over anyway and sat down by his brothers. He was so awestruck by the shiny objects that lie on the floor that he dropped his teddy bear and reached for a quarter.

Donnie smacked his hand away. "No, Mikey! You too little! Not for babies!" he scolded.

Mikey pouted. "No baby! Pway too!"

"You baby!" Raph argued. "Little...wear diaper!"

* * *

Splinter turned off the burner and removed the pan. He had been cooking dinner for his little boys and had left them alone in the living room to watch cartoons.

"Boys, dinner is ready!" he called out, but received no response. "Boys?" He went to the living room to find the TV playing cartoons for an empty audience. He groaned. They couldn't be up to any good.

"_Daddy!_" a sobbing Michelangelo ran out of the dojo.

Splinter met him halfway and lifted him up. "What is the matter, Michelangelo?"

Mikey pouted. "Brothers...no share...shiny."

Splinter cocked his head. "My son, I cannot understand you. What about your brothers? Did they hit you?"

Mikey shook his head. "No share..." he sobbed.

"They won't share?"

Mikey nodded.

"What won't they share?"

"S-shiny..."

Splinter sighed, still unable to understand. "Where are they?"

Mikey pointed at the dojo.

"Well, let's go talk to them," he cooed, and carried Mikey into the dojo. "My sons," he called as he walked through the entrance. "Why aren't you sharing with your brother?"

He looked around the dojo only to find no turtles. "Boys?" No answer. He looked down to Mikey. "They're not in here, my son."

"...there..." Mikey pointed to his open bedroom door.

Splinter sighed. That couldn't be good.

"Boys, what are you doing in my bedroom?" he called out, walking through the entrance of his room.

The three boys, huddled in a circle, all jumped in surprise.

Splinter took note of their guilty expressions. "What are you three up to? What aren't you sharing with your brother?"

"I pway shiny..." Mikey whined.

Splinter set him down on the floor and went to the other side of the room to investigate.

He gasped when he saw his money and credit cards strewn all about all over the floor.

"Boys, are you going through my things?" he scolded.

"N-no..." Leo lied. "Just pway wif shiny stuff."

"Daddy," Raph demanded. "Why no share shiny stuff?"

"My sons, you should not go through your father's things. It is not kind. Not to mention that some of my things could harm you."

"Shiny no hurt," Donnie argued.

"Boys, this is called money and cards and they are daddy's. They are not for children to play with," he scolded. "Now help me clean it up and then you must get washed up for dinner."

"Dinner?" Mikey chirped.

Splinter knelt down while chuckling at Mikey. "Yes, Michelangelo, it is dinner time, but first we must clean up this mess."

Mikey waddled over and tugged on the sleeve of his kimono. "No," he whined. "Dinner now! Hungwy!"

"No, Michelangelo," he scolded, "you must be patient. Perhaps if you help us clean up we will get done faster."

"Daddy, eat now!" he fussed.

"Michelangelo, no, not until we clean up this mess, understand?"

Mikey pouted and crouched down over the mess of coins.

"Why no pway shiny?" Donnie asked as he took a handful of coins and put them back in the wallet.

"Because, my sons, I need to keep this money for emergencies. I can trade it for things that we need very badly in an emergency," he explained. "If you lose it, then we will not have it when we need it."

"Wha' if we cayful?" Leo asked. "We pway and no woose it?"

"No, Leonardo," he stood firm, "money is not a toy. You all have plenty of toys to entertain yourselves. You do not need to play with my money."

"But is pwetty!" Raph argued.

Splinter looked next to him to check on his youngest who had been eerily quiet in the past minute. It seemed he had looked in the nick of time, because just as he turned to him, the little one had a dime in his hand, ready to drop it into his open mouth.

Splinter swiftly reached for his son's hand. "No, Michelangelo!"

It was too late; the dime had already made it's way into Mikey's mouth.

"No, no, no, no, do not eat that!" He pried Mikey's jaws open and stuck his finger in his mouth, desperately feeling around for the coin, but did not find it. "Oh no, did you swallow it?"

Mikey nodded.

"Ew, Mikey, shiny no food," Leo cringed.

"Why not for babies," Raph said.

"No, no, Michelangelo, you do not eat coins. That is very dangerous and dirty!" he scolded and scooped him up.

"Boys, come with me. I do not want to leave any of you alone with the money," he demanded.

The boys obeyed and followed him into the infirmary, where he set Mikey down on a table and retrieved a small flash light and popsicle stick.

He adjusted Mikey's face to point slightly upward in order to open his airways. "Open up," he said.

Mikey obeyed. Splinter pressed his tongue down and shined the flashlight down his throat, hoping not to see the glimmer of a coin stuck in his throat.

"Did the coin go down?" he asked Mikey urgently. "Can you feel anything stuck in your throat?"

Mikey shook his head.

"Are you sure? Do not be afraid to tell me the truth," Splinter urged further.

"No," Mikey replied and giggled. "Shiny in tummy."

"It is not funny, Michelangelo," he scolded lifting him up into his arms. "I know you did not know better, but you are never _ever_ to put money or anything that is not food into your mouth. You could get sick or choke."

"Told you no for babies," Raph added.

"That goes for all of you," he turned to the older three. "In fact, from now on, you are never to go into my room without my permission. Is that understood?"

They all nodded in unison.

"Dinner now?" Mikey asked.

"Yes, come now, let's get washed up."

* * *

While his sons slept, Splinter stealthily snuck to the surface and found the payphone that he knew to be just outside of the alleyway. He looked for passerbys, and when he saw none, he went into the phone booth and inserted a quarter.

"_Poison control, how may I help you_?" a female voice picked up on the other line.

"Yes ma'am, my two-year-old son swallowed a dime earlier, and I wanted to know if this is cause for concern, and what I must do," Splinter said.

The woman let out a small light-hearted laugh. "Ah, yes, we get these a lot. Coins seem to be a baby's favorite snack. Well let me ask you; are there any signs that it may be caught in his windpipe or esophagus?"

"No ma'am. I checked his throat. He has ingested it."

"Okay, that's good, so we know there's no obstruction and it won't erode. Has he complained about any pains or nausea or acted in any unusual way since swallowing the dime?"

"No, he has been behaving fairly normal..."

"Good, good. How many coins did he swallow? Just the one?"

"Yes, ma'am, I believe it was only one coin."

"Then sir, you have nothing to worry about," she said. "Your son should be fine. Keep an eye on his bowel movements, though, so you can be certain that he passes it."

Splinter felt like he could finally breathe. "Okay, thank you."

"But if he does start to become sick or complain about being in pain, I would advise you to take him to a hospital. That's when it could be a problem."

"Okay, thank you for your help, ma'am."

"You're welcome, sir. I hope everything goes well."

Splinter hung up the phone.

* * *

"Daddy!" Leo came into the dojo, hollering.

Splinter sighed, not pleased to have his meditation interrupted so rudely.

"What is it, Leonardo?"

"Daddy, change Mikey, pwease! He poop! No watch 'Pace Hewoes wif stinky baby!"

Splinter chuckled. "I am coming, my son."

Leonardo exited the room and returned to where he was watching the TV, holding his nose as he sat next to his stinky little brother.

Splinter knelt down and scooped up Mikey. "Rumor has it that you stink," he joked. "Oh Michelangelo, we really must get you using the potty soon."

Mikey smiled. "Wike bwothers?"

"Yes, like your brothers," his father chuckled and carried him off to the bathroom. "We will get there in time. Very soon." He lay the little one on his shell on the bathroom floor and removed his soiled diaper. Having changed so many diapers by this time, he was completely non-reactive to the sight of baby feces.

Mikey chuckled. "I poopy."

"Yes, yes, you did," Splinter took a wet nap and wiped him clean. "Do you enjoy stinking out your big brother while watching cartoons?" he joked.

Mikey nodded. "Eeo funny."

Splinter smiled. "Yes, he is." He grabbed hold of Mikey's ankles and lifted his legs, and then slid the fresh diaper under his backside and gently set him down before sealing the diaper around him. "All clean."

Mikey sat up and looked at his not yet folded up dirty diaper. He pointed. "Shiny..."

Splinter looked to where he pointed and smiled when he saw the dime from three days earlier. "Well, it looks like the coin survived his journey." He then sighed with relief. "And so did we."

Mikey laughed. "From poopy!"

Splinter chuckled and scooped him up. "Yes, Michelangelo, the journey from poopy."

**There's actually a deep meaning behind this. Can anyone tell me what it is? Lol. **


	15. 015 - Sorrow

**Sorrow**

"Daddy...I-I mean Sensei," Leo called out from inside the dojo. "Can you come and help me?"

"One moment, my son," Splinter called back. He looked down at his youngest son, who sat at the table staring down at a paperback book. He had been instructing him on what he needed to read for the night in order to catch up for the following day's lesson.

"Alright," he continued. "Like I was saying, I need you to read through this whole chapter and then we will go from there."

Mikey groaned.

"I mean it, Michelangelo," Splinter urged. "You have fallen behind greatly on your reading. It is important that we get you caught up."

Mikey sighed. "I know. I'll keep trying."

Splinter ruffled his bandana. "Good."

"Sensei! Are you coming?" Leo called again.

"Patience, Leonardo! I am coming!"

Splinter entered the dojo to find Leonardo practicing a kata.

"What is that you need, my son?" he asked.

Leo stopped and sighed. "I just can't get this kata right. Can you help me?"

"Of course. Why don't you show me the best you've got and I will tell you how you can fix it?"

Leo nodded and began to perform the kata. Leo stepped his right foot forward and threw a punch, and then swept his leg and attempted a back flip, only to wind up on his shell.

He groaned. "See? I can't get the back flip right."

Splinter crouched down and helped him to his feet.

"It seems you are having difficulty transitioning smoothly from the sweeping of your leg to the back flip," Splinter critiqued.

"Well, how do I fix it?"

"You must work on your agility. You should practice the transition slowly until you have mastered it enough to do it swiftly."

Leo sighed. "But Sensei, a ninja has to move fast. I can't learn a kata by doing it slow."

"To gain mastery, you must start slow. By going slowly, you are memorizing the small details that must come naturally to you when you are being agile," Splinter explained. "Mastery does not come over night."

Leo groaned.

"Do it again, but do the transition slowly this time," Splinter ordered.

"Hai, Sensei."

Leo moved a foot forward and threw the punch, then got down slightly as he swept his leg, he then gradually bent his upper torso backwards and pushed his momentum, but lost his balance again and fell on his shell.

"Ugh, see? It didn't work! I'm just no good at back flips."

"Nonsense, you will get it. You must keep trying. I want you to do it again. Go slower if you must."

"Daddy!" Raphael's voice called out from the other room. "Come help me!"

Splinter sighed. "I must go see what Raphael needs, so I am leaving you alone. I want you to keep working on that transition. That is an order."

"Hai, Sensei."

Splinter left the dojo and went to the living room where he found Raph with a hardback math textbook, trying to work on the practice questions on a sheet of paper.

"What is it, Raphael?" he asked.

Raph tossed his pencil down on the coffee table. "I can't do this math. I don't get it!"

Splinter took a seat beside him and looked at the problems he was working on. It was addition, subtraction, and regrouping.

"What exactly are you struggling with?"

Raph groaned. "All of it!"

"You must be more specific if you wish for me to help you."

Raph sighed. "I don't know how to add or subtract these really big numbers together. They're too big to do in my head."

"My son, I have taught you that you do not have to do them in your head. You are right; they are too difficult. That is why you must work out the problem on paper." He pointed to the first addition problem. "First, write that problem down just how it is written."

Raph silently obeyed.

"Good. Now, you need to start from the left and work your way to the right. Add the first column of digits together, then the second, and then the third. However, if the second and last number are greater than ten, then you must take the number in front and add it to the column before it."

Raph groaned and shook his head. "I can never remember that."

"Of course you can. Here, I will walk you through it. Take this first row of numbers; what is two plus five?"

Raph thought carefully. "Seven."

"Correct, now write down seven under that row. Now, add the next column of numbers; what is nine plus two?"

"Eleven."

"Good, but since eleven is a two-digit number, you must take the number in the ones place and write it under the column, but move the number in the tens place over the next column to the left."

Raph did so.

"Alright, now last, you will add the numbers in this final column together. What is one plus three plus four?"

Raph counted carefully. "Eight?"

"Excellent, now what is the final answer?"

"Eight hundred and seventeen?"

"Very good, Raphael! See? That was not so hard," Splinter patted him on his carapace.

"Now, why don't you try the next one on your own?"

Raph sighed and wrote the next problem down. He stared at it for quite a long time.

"Remember, Raphael, you must start from the left and make your way to the numbers on the far right."

Raph began to work out the problem, but got stuck on another two digit number and forgot how to carry them.

"Sensei! Can you come here?" Donnie called from his room.

Splinter sighed. "Raphael, I must go see what Donatello needs. I want you to keep working on your math work. Remember what I told you."

Raph groaned. "Hai, Sensei."

* * *

After several more failures, Leo picked himself up and reluctantly tried the kata again. He routinely put a foot forward as he threw a punch, and then swept his leg and slowly attempted the back flip again. This time he almost did it, but didn't hold his momentum long enough and wound up falling on his face.

He groaned and pulled himself up into a sitting position. "I can't do it," he said and buried his face in his arms.

* * *

Splinter made his way into Donnie's room. "Donatello, you called for me?"

"Yeah daddy, I did. I'm trying to draw this diagram of the human's internal anatomy from this book, but I can't seem to get it right. I want it to be as accurate as possible, but no matter how hard I try, it still comes out looking like a mess. I'm no artist..."

"Why do you wish to _draw_ the diagram? It is right there in the book for you to look at."

"I can memorize it and learn it better if I draw it out on my own, but it won't do me any good if the pictures don't look accurate at all."

"I see," Splinter replied. "My son, if you want it to be accurate, then you must concentrate on what you _see_. Pay attention to the subtle details of the image, not the image as a whole. After all, it is the subtle details that bring the image together."

Donnie sighed. "But it's _so _hard."

"Art was never meant to be easy."

"I don't even know where to start. There's so much going on in this one picture!"

"You must find a place to start and get every subtle detail, particularly how the objects of the image run together."

"I've already had to redraw it five times," Donnie whined. "I'm no good at drawing."

Splinter picked up the pencil and forced it into Donnie's hand.

"You must keep trying. Remember, focus on the subtle details that make the image. Not the whole image itself."

"Okay..."

* * *

Raph stared at a subtraction problem. The word 'regrouping' ran through his mind, but he could not remember its significance nor how to use it. The numbers continued to taunt him and began to look like some foreign language.

He had had enough. Raph growled and scribbled all over the paper, ripped it in two, and then broke the pencil in half, throwing its pieces across the room. Lastly, he slammed the book shut and dropped his head down on top of it.

"Stupid math." he grumbled.

* * *

Seeing that dinnertime was approaching, Splinter went into the kitchen to begin cooking. Before he could even make it to the sink to wash up, he was stopped by the sound of sniffling coming from the table. He looked in the sound's direction and saw Michelangelo sitting with his head down over the book that he was ordered to read.

"Aww, what is the matter, Michelangelo?" he said, sitting down next to him and resting a consoling hand on his carapace.

Mikey hiccuped and lifted his head. "I-I can't r-read."

"Of course you can, my son. You know your letters, and I have seen you read before."

Mikey looked at him with tearful blue eyes. "N-no," he argued. "I c-can't. A-all the letters c-confuse m-me." He shook his head. "I'm j-just too s-stupid."

"My son, I know not of such a word. You are very intelligent," Splinter scolded.

"N-no, Donnie's smart. I'm s-stupid. I c-can't even read a f-few pages."

"Everyone has their challenges, Michelangelo. Yours is reading. It is nothing to be ashamed of. You will get it in time, you've just got to keep trying."

"B-but the h-harder I try to r-read, the harder it is t-to r-read the l-letters..."

Splinter sighed and shut the book. Mikey flashed him a curious look.

Splinter lifted him up. "Come, I know what must be done."

**To be continued...**


	16. 016 - Happiness

**Happiness**

Splinter took Michelangelo to the living room and set him on the couch next to a seething Raphael. He looked at the torn up paper and the closed book.

He sighed. "What happened, Raphael?"

Raph crossed his arms. "I couldn't figure out the math. I ripped up the stupid paper."

"My son, I understand that you were frustrated, but you should not have destroyed your paper. Now you will have to do them all over again," Splinter scolded.

Raph released an exasperated groan and abruptly grabbed the math textbook on the coffee table, angrily flipping through the pages.

Splinter took his wrist in one hand and shut the book with the other.

Raph looked to him with an angry pout.

"In time, Raphael, but right now, I want you to stop."

Raph groaned. "I thought you wanted me to do it all over again."

"Yes," Splinter hoisted Raph up into his arms, "but right now, I just want you to relax. You will accomplish nothing if you are frustrated."

Raph sighed. "How am I supposed to do that? I know I'm still gonna have to do my homework."

Splinter set him down on the couch next to the still sniffling Mikey.

"Wait here with Michelangelo for a moment and I will show you."

Splinter left the two alone and went into the dojo to retrieve Leonardo.

Raph glared at Mikey, becoming annoyed with the sounds of his sniffling.

"What's _your_ problem?" he sneered.

"I c-can't r-read..." Mikey squeaked.

"Well, shut up," Raph snapped, "you're sniffling is getting on my nerves."

* * *

Splinter sighed at the sight of his oldest son sitting on the floor with his face buried in his knees. He sat beside him.

"Leonardo, what is troubling you?"

Leo lifted his tearful eyes to look at his father.

"I can't do the kata," he moaned.

"Of course you can," Splinter replied, "but you must take your time..."

"Sensei, I already tried doing it slower; I didn't get any better."

Splinter rested a hand on his carapace. "No, Leonardo, you must know when to take a break. If you do not, then you will become fatigued and it will be much harder to focus your mind." He took Leo's hand and pulled him to his feet. "Come, my son, I will help you."

Splinter took Leo into his arms and brought him into the living room.

"Daddy, can you please tell Mikey to shut up?" Raph whined.

Splinter set Leo on the other side of Raph.

"Raphael, let your brother be. He is settling down," he scolded. "The three of you wait here while I go get..."

Splinter trailed off at the sound of paper being shredded in the other room. He sighed and made his way toward the source of the noise.

As he suspected, it was Donatello tearing up his failed attempts at drawing the human internal anatomy.

"Stop that, Donatello," he gently urged. "What is the problem?"

Donnie dropped the paper scraps and sighed. "I just can't do it, Sensei. I'm no good at drawing things."

"You can do anything that you set your mind to Donatello. However, you must know to rest your mind when it becomes exhausted," Splinter explained and scooped him up. "Come and join us in the living room."

Splinter returned to the living room and set Donnie on the couch with his brothers.

"W-what's this?" he asked.

"I believe you all are in need of a break. You are pushing yourselves a bit too hard. I want you all to enjoy yourselves. Leonardo, I want you to turn on the television, and watch your favorite show," Splinter ordered.

Leo scowled with confusion. "Huh? But I thought..."

"Yes, I do want you to learn that kata, but you will never get it if you do not take the time to relax. Watch television. That is an order."

"Hai, Sensei." Leo turned the TV on and plopped down in front of it, instantly being drawn into a rerun of Space Heroes.

"Raphael, I want you to vent out your frustration on your punching bag," Splinter said. "However, I ask that you be respectful to Leonardo watching television and keep the noise down. That is _also_ an order."

Raph gave Splinter a crooked smile before he leaped off the couch. "Hai, Sensei."

"Donatello, I want you to take any book of yours that you have been wanting to read and begin reading it."

"For how long?"

"Until I tell you to stop," Splinter grinned.

Donnie grinned back and willingly obeyed.

"Michelangelo..."

"Please don't make me read anything," Mikey pleaded, rubbing his head. "My head hurts from trying to read the learning book."

Splinter chuckled and scooped him up. "No, Michelangelo, there will be no more reading for you for now. I want you to help me cook dinner."

Mikey beamed. "I can do that."

"I know you can," Splinter said. "You're very good at it."

Mikey gasped. "I am?"

Splinter nodded. "Yes, you are." He set him down on the kitchen floor. "Why don't you get a chair to stand on?"

Mikey nodded and eagerly pushed a chair up against the counter. He climbed on it and stood next to his father who set a mixing bowl in front of him.

"What are we making?"

Splinter grinned at him. "What are we always making?"

"Worms and algae? My favorite!"

Splinter chuckled and placed some algae in the mixing bowl. "I know it is." He handed Mikey a wooden spoon. "I'm gonna put these worms in the blender and I want you to stir them for me when I put them in here."

Mikey clapped his hands. "Okay!"

* * *

Raph delivered his hardest blows to his homemade punching bag, made of a pillow case stuffed with dirt.

"Take that, stupid numbers!" he thought. "And that! You like that, huh? Well have some of this too!"

He paused to bare a wickedly confident smile at the bag.

"Those numbers can't scare me! I can kick their butts!"

* * *

Leo, lying on his stomach in front of the television, was mesmerized by the cartoon on the screen.

"Captain Ryan is so cool," Leo thought. "I'd bet he could learn that stupid kata no problem."

"_Captain! Look out!_" One of the captain's followers screamed when an alien ran up behind him with a ray gun pointed at his head. Just in time, Captain Ryan whipped around in a roundhouse kick and knocked the ray gun clean out of the alien's hand. Before the alien could react, he blew him up with is own ray gun.

Leo gawked. "Whoa..."

* * *

Donnie sat quietly on his own cot, reading _Where The Red Fern Grows. _It was intended for an age level a few years ahead of him, but it was a near perfect match for his reading level.

"Wow," he thought, "this kid really wants those dogs and he's gonna do all that tedious work to get the money to buy them. That's very...persevering."

"_Guys!_" Mikey's voice rang out. "_Dinner's ready!_"

* * *

The three starving older brothers stampeded into the kitchen and took their seats at the table.

"I hope you like it," Mikey said, taking his seat next to Donnie. "I helped make it this time."

"And he did a wonderful job too," Splinter added, bringing the bowl of worms and algae to the table and individually filling his sons' plates.

Mikey wasted no time to dig in. He grinned with a mouthful. "I'm a good cook!"

"It's just worms and algae," Raph grouched. "It tastes the same everyday."

"No, Raphael, Michelangelo made it special," Splinter gave Mikey a wink.

"Just in time too," Leo added. "I was starving!"

"Me too!" Mikey chirped.

Raph groaned. "Mikey, you're _always_ hungry."

"How did you all enjoy your breaks?" Splinter asked.

"I had fun," Mikey cheered. "I got to cook some food and spend time with my daddy!"

Splinter grinned. "That is wonderful, Michelangelo. I enjoyed our quality time as well. How do you feel about trying to read again? Do you want to give it another try this evening?"

Mikey hesitated. "I don't know, daddy. Cooking made me feel better, but I just don't know if I'm ready to try again."

"I feel mutual," Donnie added. "I just don't know if I feel like struggling to draw again."

Mikey raised an eye ridge. "You can't draw, Donnie?"

Donnie sighed. "No. No matter how hard I try, I just can't do it."

"What are you trying to draw?" Mikey asked.

"A diagram of the human internal anatomy," Donnie replied.

Mikey blinked. "Well, I don't know what that is, but maybe if you showed me a picture of it, I could help you."

Donnie's face lit up. "Hey, yeah, you're a pretty good artist, Mikey. I bet you _could _help me, and then maybe I could try and help you to read better."

Mikey grinned. "I'd like that."

"That is an excellent idea, boys. Perhaps tonight we can skip your baths and you all may go back to your challenges for a bit," Splinter suggested.

Leo groaned. "But I really don't think I can do that kata. I'm just not getting it."

"And if I have to see another number, even now, I think my head is gonna explode," Raph whined.

"If Donatello and Michelangelo are helping each other, I will be more able to assist the two of you," Splinter reasoned. "I am sorry that I could not be of more help earlier. Sometimes I am needed by all of you at once and I can only be at one place at one time."

"It's okay, daddy," Leo replied. "We know you try."

Splinter issued each of them a warm grin. He saw that all of their plates were now empty. "Donatello, Michelangelo, why don't the two of you go ahead to your room and work with one another as much as you can until bedtime, and Leonardo and Raphael, go to the dojo and I will meet you there. Raphael, take your book and some paper with you. I will clean up in here."

"Hai, Sensei." With that, all four boys did as they were told with smiles on their faces.

Splinter watched them leave with a nostalgic sigh. Maybe _four_ boys wasn't so hard after all.


	17. 017 - Under the Rain

**Under the Rain**

The sound of thunder roared throughout the Hamato family's lair. For Splinter, it was an excellent aid for his late night meditation. It was his way of winding down after having to round up four turtle tots and fighting them to go to bed.

The sounds of the rain on the surface massaged his tense and tired mind into a state of ease. Another long day had been conquered and soon he could lay his head down and have a much needed sleep.

Splinter's soothing thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a pair of tiny feet hitting the hard floor of the dojo. They moved frantically in his direction, accompanied by panicked panting.

Before he could open his eyes, he felt a small weight throw itself into his lap and clamp its arms around his waist. Light sniffles could be heard.

Splinter sighed. "What is the matter, Michelangelo?"

The three-year-old did not reply; he only nuzzled deeper into his father's kimono.

"Allow me to guess: it is the thunder again?"

Mikey flashed him a brief glance with his baby blue eyes and nodded, before returning his face to his father's chest.

"My son, I have explained this before: the thunder is just noise, nothing more. It cannot hurt you," he rubbed Mikey's shell in soothing circles.

"S-scary...loud," Mikey whined.

Splinter sighed. "I know it is disturbing you from sleep, but it is no reason to be upset." Splinter held him tight and stood up. "Come, let's get you back into bed."

He carried him through the lair back to his bedroom and tucked him back into his bed next to Donatello.

"I know you are frightened, little one, but you must stay in bed. You need your sleep," Splinter leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. "I love you, Michelangelo." He stood up and went to leave, but Mikey grabbed his kimono.

"No, daddy," he whined. "No leave. I s-scared."

Splinter knelt down beside him again. "Michelangelo, you cannot be scared by a little storm. If I thought it would hurt you, then I would be protecting you, but there is nothing to fear. You need to sleep."

"Ca-an't sleep. Thunder is loud," Mikey sat up, pouting. He held his arms up, signaling his father to lift him. "Stay wif you."

Splinter sighed and took him into his arms. "Alright, but only for a little while. Once the storm passes you must go to bed."

Mikey rested his head on Splinter's shoulder. "'kay, daddy."

Splinter sauntered past the bathroom and Mikey pointed at the door. "Potty, daddy! Gotta pee-pee."

"You have to go pee-pee?"

Mikey nodded and Splinter set him down and he trotted through the doorway, climbed on the cinder block step in front of the toilet and sat down.

Splinter leaned on the door frame and waited.

Mikey turned and stared at his father with a goofy grin.

Splinter chuckled. "What? Are you finished?"

Mikey paused a second and farted. The sound echoed in the toilet bowl, making the little one giggle madly.

Splinter fought his smile with a stern look. "Michelangelo, what do you say?"

Mikey settled himself down a little. "Excuse me."

Splinter grinned and went to lift him off the toilet.

"No, wait!" Mikey protested. "I has to clean myself!"

Splinter let him go. "Oh, of course," he said and waited. Mikey stared at him expectantly. "Go ahead," Splinter urged him.

"Turn around," Mikey requested.

Splinter grinned and obeyed. "He waited a few seconds and turned around at the sound of the toilet flushing. "All done?"

Mikey nodded and stepped down.

Splinter scooped him up and continued on his way back to the dojo. Once they passed the kitchen, Mikey pointed again.

"Daddy, can I has cuppie?"

Splinter looked at him and sighed. "Michelangelo, you know I do not like giving you anything to drink before bedtime. I don't want you to have an accident."

"I no pee-pee in the bed. I just went potty," Mikey argued.

"This is true. Alright, my son, you may have one cuppie, but you must go to sleep after you drink it, alright?"

As if the sky had heard the mention of the word "sleep" another rumble of thunder sounded and Mikey clung closer to his father with a whimper.

"I wanna stay wif you tonight."

Splinter hugged him and then set him on the floor.

"My son, you must overcome this fear of thunder," he went to the refrigerator, and Mikey ran back to his side and clung to his kimono. "Like I've said, it is nothing more than a loud noise. It cannot hurt you."

Mikey only whimpered and clung harder. "S-scary."

Splinter sighed as he retrieved a sippie cup and poured tea into it.

"Would you like me to warm it?"

"Y-yes pwease," Mikey squeaked.

Splinter put the sippie cup into the microwave and set it to thirty seconds. He then bent down and scooped up the shaking toddler.

"Settle down now, Michelangelo." The microwave beeped and he retrieved the sippie cup and handed it to Mikey.

"Tha-ank you, daddy," Mikey said and accepted the cup.

Splinter took him into the dojo and sat down in his meditative position again. He cradled Mikey while he sipped on his 'cuppie'.

Splinter closed his eyes and allowed his mind to slip into a relaxed place.

"Daddy..." Mikey's little voice broke up his meditation once again.

Splinter sighed. "Michelangelo, daddy is meditating. You must be quiet and try to fall asleep."

"But daddy..." Mikey whined.

"Just drink your tea, my son," Splinter urged.

Mikey dropped his cup on the floor and tried to squirm from his father's grip. Splinter held him tighter to prevent his escape and handed his sippie cup back to him.

"Michelangelo, you must lie still," he said firmly.

"But daddy, I no..."

"Silence," Splinter snapped. "No more of that. If you want to stay in here with me, then you must keep quiet and try to fall asleep. I am sorry, my son, but you need your rest."

Mikey squirmed some more and Splinter looked down at him sternly. He then noticed the little one's eyes beginning to glaze over and his face beginning to look a paler shade of green.

"Michelangelo, what is..."

"Uhoh..." Mikey squeaked and then released the contents of his stomach all over himself and Splinter's kimono.

Splinter shook his head and sighed.

* * *

For the first time all night, Mikey sat still while he was sitting in the bathtub. Splinter began to scrub him down with a washcloth.

"I sowwy I frew up on you, daddy," he apologized.

"No, no, my son, I should have been listening to you. I know you were trying to tell me you did not feel well," Splinter said under his breath. "You don't seem to have a fever though. How do you feel now?"

"Otay," Mikey replied.

Splinter sighed. "It must have been the storm then. You must have a nervous stomach." He filled up the cup in the bathtub with water and rinsed him off.

Mikey yawned.

Splinter chuckled. "Are you tired now?"

Mikey nodded. "F-funder gone?"

"I believe it is," Splinter said and pulled the plug, allowing the water to drain. He wrapped a towel around Mikey and pulled him from the tub. "Michelangelo, you must not be scared of a little storm. We are safe in our home. It cannot hurt us." He began to dry him off.

"...Uh-huh..." Mikey mumbled.

Splinter wrapped the towel around him and cradled him.

"Even if it could, you know I would not allow you or your brothers to be harmed," he looked down at the toddler and his eyes were shut, his breathing steady. Splinter chuckled. "Oh, Michelangelo, you are the sweetest little handful."

**This one is more fluff than anything.**


	18. 018 - Night

**Night**

Raphael woke up in a place he had never seen before. He found himself to be lying on a hard asphalt surface and all around him were things he had only seen on television: space ships, cars, dragons, and swing sets. He grinned; it was a five-year-old boy's paradise.

Raph hastily jumped to his feet and climbed in the rocket ship. That's when he looked all around and realized that he was completely alone. He had himself a brief celebration, knowing this meant that he did not have to share all of these glorious "toys". No Mikey to whine about when it would be his turn to play. No Donnie to ramble on about some crap he didn't understand. No Leo to pester him and tell him why he needs to let Mikey and the rest of them have a turn too, and no Splinter to bust his butt for punching Leo in the face.

He pushed the green button on the dash and the rocket shot up into the air. The little turtle giggled madly as he drove it through loops, up high really fast and then down low just as fast, halting it just before it slammed to the ground. What a rush the little one felt throughout his body.

Finally, he landed the rocket and turned it off. Not even close to having his fill of fun, he leaped out and headed for one of the cars. It was much like a dune buggy with giant wheels and a small frame. He jumped inside and hit the green button to start it before his bottom even met the seat. Much to his surprise, nothing happened. He hit the button again, but this time found that the scenery before him began to fade and transform. Slowly, it was completely gone and all around him was nothing more than his bedroom that he shared with his older brother, Leonardo.

He rolled over and found the rumbling from the rocket that he thought he'd heard was nothing more than Leo's snoring. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to deny to himself that it was only a dream, or that maybe it was a dream, but if he went back to sleep soon enough, it would hold it's place and continue where he left off like a paused movie. No such luck. Several minutes had gone by and the little turtle found that he was still wide awake and back in reality.

A tall figure appeared in his doorway, startling him momentarily, until he realized that it was only his father, probably checking up on him and Leo before he turned into bed himself.

Splinter approached their bed and adjusted Leonardo's blanket and lightly kissed his forehead. He went to Raphael to do the same, but stopped when he saw that he was awake.

He smiled. "Raphael, what are you doing still awake?"

Raph sat up. "I was asleep," he groaned, "but I woke up and now I can't go back to sleep."

Splinter knelt down and put a hand on his carapace. "I am sorry, my son. Did you have a nightmare?"

Raph shook his head. "No, I don't get scared," he snapped. "I was having a good dream, but Leo's snoring woke me up."

Splinter chuckled. "He is a bit more nasally tonight then usual. Perhaps some hot tea will help you get to sleep?"

Raph shrugged. "Worth a shot."

Splinter scooped up Raph and headed for the kitchen. "Maybe you could tell me about your dream?"

"It was awesome!" Raph mused. "I was in this weird place and there were cars and rocket ships and dragons and stuff and I didn't have to share with nobody."

Splinter set him down on the kitchen floor.

"Well at the sound of it it sounds like there was more than enough fun to go around," Splinter added.

"No," Raph replied. "Nobody was there 'cept for me, so I could play as much as I wanted. I rode the rocket ship and went up in the air and did all kinds of loop-dee-loops and I was goin' fast, daddy! I was goin' real fast!"

Splinter filled the teapot with water and set it on the stove, waiting for it to heat up.

"Did you get to see any aliens?" he asked.

"No, I didn't go to the moon. I stayed on the Earth, but I did go really high up. It was so cool..."

Splinter sensed his son's tone beginning to withdraw.

"Did you get to ride any dragons?" he asked, trying to bring back his enthusiasm.

Raph sighed. "No, I went to go drive one of the awesome cars with the giant wheels and stupid Leo's snoring woke me up."

"Well, maybe when you go back to sleep it will continue."

Raph shook his head. "That never happens."

Splinter frowned and tried to think of something encouraging to tell him, but his thoughts were interrupted by the whistling of the teapot. He filled a small teacup with the hot water and dropped a teabag in it.

"Daddy..." Raph whimpered.

Splinter knelt down to his level and looked into his sad emerald eyes. "Hm?"

"Will I ever get to go ride a rocket ship?" A glimmer of hope in his saddened eyes melted his father's heart like it were the sun itself.

Splinter sighed, not sure of how to answer his son honestly without breaking his heart.

"Could we ever go to the surface and at least _see_ a rocket ship? I promise I'll even share with Mikey if I get to ride it," Raph pleaded.

Splinter sighed. "My son, you know the only time when it is even a little safe for us to be on the surface is at night, and even then..."

"Well let's go see one at night," Raph pushed. "I heard you say before that you saw a rocket ship at that one place called the park!"

This was true. Splinter had told the boys not too long ago about the park and mentioned that they had a ride that looked like a rocket ship that you could sit on and it would rock back and fourth. He also mentioned the swing set and numerous other fun playground things.

"Please daddy, I wanna ride a rocket ship! It's my life-long dream," Raph begged, hopping up and down and hugging his father around his neck for good measure.

Splinter pulled him close to him and lifted him up as he stood and removed the teabag from the cup, discarding it in the sink.

"I do not know, Raphael," Splinter replied. "You know I want more than anything to make you happy and allow you to have fun like a child should, but I fear even at night in the darkness, when no one is around, the surface is still not safe."

Raph accepted the cup of tea and sipped it carefully.

"But daddy, you're a ninja and you're really strong," Raph argued. "If a human tries to hurt us, you can just kick their butts."

Splinter chuckled. "This is true, but that would not be kind and I do not want to have to do it."

Raph puckered out his lower lip and gave his father 'puppy eyes'. "Not even for me?"

Splinter ruffled his little head. "Of course I would for you. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you boys; I just do not wish to be in the place where I would have to."

"Well what if when I saw a human, I hid inside my shell?" Raph suggested.

"I am not so sure that would work," Splinter laughed. "Then they would wonder what this big turtle shell is doing in the park."

Raph frowned. "Daddy, I really wanna ride a rocket ship."

"I know and I want that for you as well," Splinter sighed, "but I am just afraid for your safety."

"No one will see us at night, 'cuz it is dark. We'll be safe."

"I will have to think about it more, Raphael. I will try my best. Now, are you done with your tea?"

Raph nodded and handed his father the empty cup. Splinter set it in the sink.

"Come now, let's get you back into bed."

Splinter lay Raph back on his cot next to Leo and tucked him in securely under his red blanket.

"Think real hard about the rocket ship, daddy," Raph said. "Remember that you can take us at night and no one will see us. Night time is more fun with rocket ships anyway."

"I will, my son. I will consider it for you." He leaned in and kissed him on his forehead. "I love you very much."

Raph rolled on his side and snuggled deeper into his blankets. "I love you too."

Splinter left the room and Raph closed his eyes, wishing someone could hit the play button on his dream.


	19. 019 - Under the Stars

**Under the Stars**

"Raphael, come now," Splinter urged, "put the toy down. It will be there in the morning. It is bed time now."

Splinter stood over the cot that his four three-year-old boys shared, holding the blanket back and waiting for his toddlers to get under it so he could wrap them up snugly.

Raph pouted. "But brothers not in bed."

"They are about to be. Michelangelo had to use the potty, Donatello is brushing his teeth, and Leonardo is finding a story for me to read to you," Splinter said and patted a hand on the cot, gesturing for the feisty little one to get into the bed.

Raph groaned and put the toy car into their makeshift cardboard toy box.

Splinter smiled. "Good boy," he praised. "Do you need to use the potty before bed?"

Raph shook his head.

"You should go try..."

Raph shrugged and obeyed, passing Donatello on his way through the doorway.

"All done, daddy!" Donnie announced.

"Did you do a good job?" Splinter knelt down to his level.

Donnie nodded.

"Let me see. Smile for me."

Donnie showed his teeth.

Splinter grinned. "Very good."

"See? I can do it mahself!"

"Yes, you were right. Very good, Donatello." Splinter scooped him up and placed him on the cot.

"_Daddy, hewp!_"

Splinter sighed. "I am coming, Michelangelo," he called. "Stay in bed, Donatello. We must wait for your brothers."

"'kay, daddy." Donnie gave Splinter his best gap-toothed smile, before sticking his thumb into his mouth.

Splinter entered the bathroom to find Raph flushing the toilet and Mikey standing by the sink and holding his toothbrush.

"Are you _finally_ done on the potty?" he asked him.

"Uhuh," Mikey nodded.

"What took you so long?"

"I poopy," Mikey laughed.

Splinter chuckled. "What did you need?"

"Bruss my teef," Mikey said, handing his toothbrush to his father.

Splinter knelt down in front of him. "Of course, how could I forget? Open up."

Mikey opened wide and Splinter gingerly brushed his tiny mouth.

"Don't swallow it," Splinter instructed.

Mikey swallowed it anyway. "Why?" he asked.

Splinter sighed. "Michelangelo, you are not supposed to swallow the toothpaste. It's not good for you. You have to spit the nasty stuff in the sink."

"Oopsie..."

Splinter rinsed off the toothbrush and filled up a tiny cup with water and handed it to Mikey. "Now, rinse. Remember, you do not swallow this either. You must spit it in the sink."

Mikey took a sip of the water and then spit it violently into the sink. He looked back to Splinter with drool running down his chin.

"I do good?"

Splinter grabbed the hand towel off of the sink and wiped Mikey's mouth.

"Yes, very good," he said and scooped him up, taking him back to the bedroom.

"Leonardo?" he called out as he set Mikey on the cot next to Donnie and covered him up. "Have you found a story yet? We're waiting for you!"

Distant footsteps quickly grew close as Leo ran into the room, holding up a thin, hardback book.

"Foot Book!" he announced.

"'The Foot Book' again?" Splinter said.

Leo nodded madly and climbed into his lap as he sat beside the cot.

"My fav'ite," Leo beamed.

Splinter chuckled. "Alright then, let's get you tucked in first."

"No," Leo whined and pinned onto his arm. "Wanna sit here 'n see da pichures!"

"Okay that is fine." He opened the book, but Leo grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"Wait! No, say da...da..." he pointed at the cover page.

Splinter laughed and ruffled his head. "Very well, I will say the title. _'The Foot Book' by Doctor Seuss_."

Leo clapped and giggled.

"_Left foot, left foot, left foot, right. Feet in the morning..."_

"_...and feet at night!" _Leo recited.

Splinter tickled his side and laughed. "Now why must I read this if you have already memorized it?"

Leo failed to pick up on the joke and scowled. "No! Read! Pwease?" he begged. "My fav'ite!"

"Okay, okay, I will continue," Splinter laughed. "_Left foot, left foot, left foot right. Wet foot, dry foot, low foot, high foot..."_

"_...front feet, back feet, red feet, black feet."_

"Leo, stop!" Raph whined. "Daddy wead!"

"I wike da Foot Book," Leo argued.

"I foot in your face!" Raph threatened.

"Boys, settle down," Splinter scolded. "It is alright if Leonardo helps tell the story." Splinter cleared his throat and went on.

"_Left foot, right foot, feet feet feet. How many feet you meet. Slow feet, quick feet, trick feet, sick feet, up feet, down feet..."_

"_HERE COME CLOWN FEET!" _Leo clapped his hands as he recited his favorite line.

"_Small feet, big feet, here come pig feet. His feet, her feet..."_

"_Fuzzy fur feet!"_ Leo gestured to his father's feet.

"_In the house and on the street. How many , many feet you meet. Up in the air feet, over a chair feet, more and more feet, twenty-four feet..."_

"_...Here come more and more and MORE feet!_"

"_Left foot, right foot, feet feet feet. Oh how many feet you meet. The end._"

Leo clapped his hands again, "Yay!"

Raph pouted. "You ruin da story, Leo."

"I wike dah pig feet!" Mikey chirped.

Splinter set the book on the floor and put Leo on the cot. "You did?" he cooed.

Mikey nodded.

"Is 'cuz you're a piggy, Mikey!" Donnie laughed.

"Oink! Oink!" Mikey imitated.

"Can anyone tell me what kind of feet you boys have?"

Leo raised his hand. "Oh! Oh! I know dis! I have baby turtle feet!"

"That is right!" Splinter grabbed Leo's ankle and blew a raspberry on the bottom of his foot, making the ticklish toddler giggle madly. The family shared a brief belly laugh before Splinter tucked Leonardo in with the rest of his sons. "Okay, it is time to settle down now. Time to go to sleep."

"I pick stowy tomowwow," Mikey announced.

"Yes, Michelangelo, tomorrow is your turn," Splinter said and leaned in to kiss Leo on the forehead. "Good night, Leonardo."

"'Night night, daddy."

Then he kissed Raphael. "Good night, Raphael."

"'Night, daddy."

Then Donnie. "Good night, Donatello."

"G'night, daddy."

And last, Mikey. "Good night, Michelangelo."

Mikey leaped up and hugged his neck. "Night, night, daddy."

Splinter waited for him to release and tucked him back in. He retrieved his candle and went for the door. "I love you all."

"Wuv you too, daddy," they all said in unison.

Certain his boys were content, Splinter resigned to his quarters for some late night meditation.

* * *

Splinter's quiet meditation was rudely interrupted by a loud rumbling sound coming from above.

He sighed, remembering reading the calendar earlier that day; it was the fourth of July again. One of the loudest nights in the city of New York. A dreadful night for a father with four sleeping babies. It was only a matter of time before...

And there it was. The sound of a certain little turtle's bare feet sprinting against the rug-covered concrete floor, accompanied by the sound of panting and whimpering. Within seconds, the source of the sound had planted himself in Splinter's lap and hugged his waist.

Splinter sighed. "Michelangelo, my son, it is just fireworks. They did this a few months ago on New Year's, don't you remember?"

Mikey whimpered and shook his head. "No like thunder."

"It is not thunder, my sweet. It is fireworks."

"S-scary..."

"Perhaps if I took you to see them, you would not be frightened," Splinter thought aloud. "You are three now. Maybe you're old enough. Would you like that? Would you like to _see_ the fireworks?"

Mikey shook his head. "S-scary. Too woud."

"But they are very beautiful. I bet you would enjoy them."

Mikey only whimpered.

"Come now, let's go get your brothers. We can all go."

Splinter took Mikey back to the boys' room and woke and rounded up the other three.

"My sons, come with me. I want to show you something."

The three oldest groggily rose from their cot and followed their father into the sewers until he found a familiar manhole cover. He climbed the ladder, lifted the cover, and looked around to make sure that the alleyway was clear. Once he saw that it was, he sat on the edge of the hole.

"Boys, you may come up. One at a time, though. I do not want any of you fighting on the ladder and getting hurt."

Leo, being the bravest, was the first to climb the ladder. Once to the top, Splinter lifted him up and set him on the edge beside him.

"Be sure to sit still, Leonardo. If you fall you could be seriously hurt."

Leo yawned. "'Kay, daddy."

Next, Donnie climbed the ladder, being curious as to what could be up there. Splinter lifted him as well and sat him on his side opposite to Leo.

Raph, wanting nothing more than to just return to bed, reluctantly climbed the ladder after Donnie. Splinter helped him to sit on the other side of Leo.

He looked down to see his youngest still standing hesitantly down at the bottom of the ladder.

"D-daddy!" he cried out. "Come down!"

"It is alright, Michelangelo. Just climb the ladder," Splinter coaxed. "You can sit up here on daddy's lap if you are scared."

Mikey whimpered and shakily climbed the ladder.

"That's a good boy, Michelangelo. You are alright," Splinter coaxed him all the way up the ladder. "I promise I will let nothing happen to you."

Once within two feet of the top, Splinter reached down and pulled him up into his lap and held him tight, knowing how wiggly the little one could be.

"You all must sit very still," he urged. "If one of you is to fall you could be _very _seriously hurt. Please also keep your voices low. No one is to hear you."

"What we doing?" Donnie asked.

"We are looking at the firewo..."

_Screeeeeech...BAM!_

All four boys jumped, but Mikey screamed out loud and hid his face in his father's chest, breaking into a fearful sob.

Leo looked uneasy. "What was dat?"

Splinter smiled. "That was a firework. Do not be afraid, my sons. They will not hurt you; they are simply nice to look at. See? Watch the colors."

_Screech...BAM BAM BAM!_

Raph gasped and smiled. "Wed! Fav'ite color!"

Splinter grinned. "It is. It's pretty, isn't it?"

Raph nodded.

Splinter rubbed Mikey's carapace. "Do not be afraid, Michelangelo. They will not hurt you. Look, they are pretty."

Mikey peeked at the sky.

_Screeeeech...BAM!_

"...g-gween..."

"Yes, it was a green one. See? They are not scary."

_Screeech...BAM!_

"Blue!" Leo chirped.

"Who thinks they can guess the next color?" Splinter asked.

"Bet da nex' one is purple," Donnie guessed.

_Screeeeeech...BAM!_

"No, it was lello!" Raph teased.

"I 'anna see a ownge one!" Mikey squeeked.

_Screeeeeeech...BAM!_

Sure enough, the next firework was orange.

Mikey clapped and cheered. "More! More!"

After twenty minutes, the fireworks had stopped and the city had come to an unusual still quiet.

"Okay, the fireworks are over. It is time for four little turtles to return to bed," Splinter said and ushered the four of them down the ladder, closing the manhole behind them.

Upon returning to the lair, Splinter returned the boys to their cots and did his 'good night kiss' routine for the second time that night.

"I love you all," he said.

"Wait, daddy," Donnie spoke up. "I has a question."

"Yes, Donatello?"

"Why were little specs in da sky affer firewor's?" he asked.

"Little specs?" Splinter wondered. "Oh, you must mean the stars."

"No, not stars," Donnie argued. "Specs. Dots."

"No, Donatello, those were stars. They are giant balls of light that are burning very very far away. Those are real stars, not like the fun shape."

"They pretty. Will we see more soon?"

Splinter sighed. "In time, my son. Perhaps, in time."


	20. 020 - Hold My Hand

**Hold My Hand**

Splinter looked at the clock and sighed. It was that time of the afternoon again: time to give Michelangelo that accursed medicine. He had contracted a sort of allergy infection in his eyes and needed to be given eye dropsevery afternoon. The issue was that the little one hated them and put up one heck of a fight every time Splinter tried to give them to him. Drops that should take no more than five seconds could take up to ten minutes and it was terribly frustrating for the already stressed-out father.

He dried off the final plate from the lunch time dishes and put it away in the cabinet and then went to the bathroom to retrieve the eye drops and a rag.

"Michelangelo," he called as he turned off the light and exited the bathroom. "Come here, please."

He went into the living room where his five-year-old sons were playing and confronted the littlest one who was coloring a picture on the coffee table.

"Michelangelo, it is time for your eye drops. Why don't you put the crayons down for a moment?" Splinter said and gently took the crayon from Mikey's hand.

Mikey frowned. "Daddy, I don't like the drops. They hurt." Mikey rubbed at his puffy eyes.

"I understand that they are not comfortable for you, but you need them to help your eyes get better," Splinter explained and went to lift him up.

"No!" Mikey cried and crawled under the couch.

Splinter sighed. "Michelangelo, come out of there. You must take your eye drops."

"No, daddy! I don't like 'em! They burn my eyes!"

Splinter knelt down and looked at him under the couch. "Your eyes will only burn more if you do not take your eye drops, and that is not an option. Come out of there."

"No-o-o!"

Splinter sighed. "My son, I will not have this foolishness today. I am going to count to three. If you do not come out you will be in big trouble."

Mikey groaned.

"One..."

Mikey did not budge.

"Two..."

Mikey stirred, but hesitated coming out.

"Do not make me say three."

Mikey groaned and crawled out from under the couch.

"Good boy," Splinter praised and scooped him up. "Come now, let's get this over with."

He sat down on the couch and laid Mikey across his lap, resting the rag on his plastron. He uncapped the drops and aimed them over Mikey's eyes.

Mikey braced himself and covered his eyes at the last second.

"Michelangelo," Splinter said under his breath, "please do not do this again. It does not need to be this difficult."

Mikey whimpered as Splinter took his hands and put them at his sides and then pinned his arms down with his right arm.

Mikey struggled under his grip. "No-o-o!"

Splinter attempted to apply the drops again, but Mikey squeezed his eyes shut and jerked his head sideways.

"Michelangelo!" Splinter scolded. "Hold still!"

"I don't wanna do this right now, daddy!" Mikey screamed. "It hurts! It hurts!"

"That is too bad. You need it. Now hold still!"

Mikey squirmed and screamed and squeezed his eyes shut every time Splinter would even come close to his eyes with the eye drops.

Splinter, fed up, released Mikey's pinned arms and used his right hand to swat Mikey on his backside three times.

"Hamato Michelangelo, you stop this nonsense this instant!" he shouted. He hated raising his voice at his children and especially spanking them, but his son was just pushing him too far.

At this point, Mikey was crying, but for once, being spanked had not settled him down much.

"Daddy, let me go!" he shrieked.

"Not until you take your eye drops!" Splinter returned his arm to restraining him.

"No! They hurt!"

"You will only hurt more if you do not take them, now hold still!"

"NO-O-O!"

"Do you want to be punished?!" Splinter shouted. "You will be grounded if you do not obey! Do you wish to be grounded?"

Mikey furiously shook his head. "NO!"

"Then you had better hold still!"

Mikey still would not comply.

"D-daddy..." a voice timidly spoke up.

"Not now, Donatello," Splinter grunted. "I am trying to give your brother his medicine."

Donnie stood at his father's feet. "M-maybe if w-we make him comfortable he will listen."

Splinter continued to restrain the distressed child. "We can try. What did you have in mind, my son?"

Donnie climbed on the couch and sat beside them. He reached out and held onto Mikey's flailing hand.

"Mikey," he spoke softly, "calm down, little buddy. What's wrong?"

Mikey pouted. "I do-on't wanna take my-y eye drops. They-ey hurt."

Donnie began to massage the back of Mikey's hand with his thumb.

"But you need them," Donnie urged. "You gotta get better. Your eyes are all swelled up."

Mikey sobbed and squirmed, trying to get his hands free so he could scratch at his eyes, which burned even worse now that he was crying.

"Don't they hurt really bad already?"

Mikey nodded. "Yeah..."

"Well if you let daddy give you your eye drops then you'll feel better," Donnie reasoned.

Mikey shook his head. "No, they hurt."

"But they'll help you. You have nasty stuff in your eyes that's making you sick and the drops will help clean them out," Donnie explained.

"Michelangelo, you know daddy would never do anything to harm you," Splinter added. "Just let me do this for you. It will only take a second and it will be over, and then you can get back to coloring. You can color Donatello a pretty picture for being such a nice big brother."

Mikey whimpered. "B-but it hurts..."

Donnie squeezed his hand a little tighter. "But it'll be quick. Then we can go color together if you want. But you have to be a good boy and let daddy give you your eye drops."

Mikey looked at Donnie with swollen, pleading cyan eyes. "You promise y-you'll let m-me use the black crayon f-first?"

Donnie smiled. "Yes, you can. For as long as you need to. I promise. Just let daddy give you your eye drops. Be a good boy like we know you can."

Mikey sighed. "Okay."

Mikey relaxed slightly in his father's arms.

"Okay, now please hold still, Michelangelo," Splinter urged.

Mikey whimpered and tried not to close his eyes.

"It will be over very quickly," Splinter said.

Donnie grabbed onto both of Mikey's hands and held them firmly so he would feel more comforted and less restrained.

"It's okay, Mikey..." he whispered.

Mikey cringed as Splinter dropped one drop in his eye and then swiftly held it open so it would not close and dropped another.

"Very good, Michelangelo," he praised. "Now blink them back."

Mikey blinked his eyes several times and Splinter used the rag to wipe the stray tears from his eye.

"Good job, Mikey," Donnie said.

"Yes, very good. You are a good boy. We are half way done. I must do the other eye now."

Mikey groaned, but opened his eyes.

"Just relax," Splinter whispered to him and dropped two more drops in his remaining eye.

"Ow," Mikey moaned, blinking the drops into his eye.

Splinter wiped the tears and sat him up.

"See? That was not so bad, was it?" he said, rubbing his carapace.

Mikey rubbed his itchy eyes. "A-am I all done?"

"Yes, you are," Splinter said. "You may go back to coloring now. But first, I think you owe Donatello a hug."

Mikey grinned at Donnie and practically leaped on top of him as he wrapped him in a hug.

"Thank you, Donnie."

"Aw, you're welcome, Mikey. I want you to get better," Donnie replied. "I know your eyeballs hurt. They look like they hurt..."

Mikey nodded sadly. "So...can we go color now?"

"Uh-huh," Donnie pulled Mikey off the couch and they returned to the crayons on the coffee table.

Splinter smiled at the two giggling and coloring their pictures; glad to see he was not the only one who cared deeply for them.


	21. 021 - Eyes

**Eyes**

She was beautiful: her pale face, her long black locks of hair, her hazel eyes peering through perfectly beautiful slanted eyelids.

Splinter stared at her picture; the only way he could still lay his own eyes on her. She stared back at him with what looked much like a vague smile and a slight sparkle in her eyes.

His eyes wandered to the bundle in her arms; his daughter. The beautiful little girl that they shared and loved. The one that he never got to see live past her first birthday. She looked so weightless, so precious and innocent.

Splinter shook his head and sighed. "Tang Shen," he whispered, "how I wish you could see my boys, _our _boys. They're so precious. I know you would love them, as would Miwa. They have asked about you, but I don't know what I am to tell them. They are far too young to know the truth."

With the thought of his boys, he knew to check the clock: it was nearing the time that they would awake, and for him to wrap up what he was doing. It was time for him to start the day that would mark the beginning of his fourth year without his beloved wife and daughter.

He reluctantly rose from the rug-covered concrete floor and returned the framed photo to the shelf where it resided. His gaze steadily traveled to the pink tiger lilies that lie below the shelf, their flamboyant colors contrasting dramatically with their poignant surroundings.

They had belonged to her. She kept them in their home and cared for them and prided in them in a way that much resembled the way she did with their daughter. They had remained standing in the only part of their home that had not burned to the ground and were one of the only material things that he was able to salvage. Every winter they would die, but if he cared for them properly, giving them artificial sunshine and watering them daily, they would come back lively and colorful every spring.

He smiled ever so subtly as he gingerly touched one of their petals. He saw her face, the petals in her hair matching those irresistible pink lips and mesmerizing hazel eyes. Just as quickly, she was gone.

A tear escaped the rat's eye, and he swiftly wiped it away as if he did not even wish for himself to know he was sobbing.

"Come now, Yoshi," he scolded himself. "You still have fatherly duties to attend to. You cannot afford to mourn all day."

"Daddy..." a small voice broke the stillness.

Splinter turned and saw his oldest three-year-old son standing in the doorway watching him curiously. He cleared his throat.

"Good morning, Leonardo. Did you sleep well?"

"Uh-huh," Leo nodded. "Why is it dark in here?"

"Daddy was just doing some early morning meditation," he lied and rose to his feet. "Are you hungry?"

Leo rubbed his tummy. "Mm-hmm."

Splinter chuckled and gathered him into his arms. "Are your brothers awake yet?"

Leo shook his head. "They're still sleepin'."

Splinter glanced at the clock again; it was nearly eight-thirty.

"Well, perhaps you should go wake them up. It is getting a bit late for them to still be in bed." He set Leo back on the floor.

"Okay daddy," Leo said, "but Raphie doesn't like it when we wake him up."

"He will get up. Go on, now."

Leo sighed and trotted off to his room that he shared with his brothers.

"_Guys! Get up! Daddy says so!_" Splinter heard Leo shouting out loud from where he stood.

He smiled and shook his head as he groggily made his way into the kitchen. He turned on his dirty, rundown old coffee pot and began to brew some coffee for himself.

"_Now what to make for breakfast..._" he thought. Having only worms and algae to eat and feed his children, his options were rather limited, but he liked to get creative with them. It made them feel less like they were eating the same thing everyday. He decided to make them pancakes. That was always a big hit among the four hungry toddlers.

"Daddy!" Leo hollered, abruptly entering the kitchen. Donatello and Michelangelo trailed in behind him and took their seats at the kitchen table.

Leo's raised voice cut through Splinter's thoughts and comforting silence like a fist through glass. He sighed.

"What is it, Leonardo?"

"Daddy, Raphie will _not_ get up! I told him you're makin' brea'fast and you said so, but he won't!"

Splinter retrieved his large mixing bowl from the cabinet and dropped it on the counter perhaps a little too hard.

"Tell him I said to get up now," Splinter growled. "I don't want to have to come in there."

Without another word, Leo was off to reattempt waking up Raphael.

"'Mornin', daddy!" Mikey chirped.

Splinter looked to him and tried to manage a smile. "Good morning, Michelangelo. Good morning, Donatello. Did you sleep well?"

Donnie nodded.

"I slept good," Mikey cheered. "Wanna know what I dreamed 'bout?"

Splinter dumped some algae in the bowl. "Of course."

"I had a dream dat I was a rock star!" He stood up on his chair as if it were a stage. "I had a bunch of people 'round me and I was singing and dancing!" He began to jump up and down on the chair to emphasize the details. "And den..."

"Michelangelo, sit down," Splinter ordered.

Mikey paused and cocked his head at his father curiously.

Splinter felt his fatigue rising seeing the little one not obey immediately.

"Did you hear me? I said sit down!" he snapped.

Mikey's eyes grew wide and he wasted no more time to plant himself back down in his chair. He bit his lip and tried to fight the lump forming in his throat and the tears begging to fall.

"Daddy!" Leo ran into the room shouting again. "Raphie still won't get up and he hit me!"

Splinter dropped what he was doing and stormed out of the room.

"Just sit down, Leonardo. I will deal with it," he grumbled as he passed him.

Leo sat beside Donnie and looked at Mikey across from him. He noted his quivering lip.

"What's-a matter, Mikey?" he asked.

Mikey finally gave in and allowed his tears to flow.

"Daddy yelled at him," Donnie whispered to Leo.

Leo shrugged it off.

* * *

Splinter knelt down beside his sons' cot and firmly shook the lump that still lie under the blanket.

"Raphael, get up this instant," he growled. "I am not going to tell you again."

Raph groaned and rolled over to face him. "But daddy, I still sleepy."

"You have had plenty of time to sleep. It is after eight-thirty, now get up or you will help me with the dishes after breakfast."

Raph pouted as he reluctantly sat up.

Splinter roughly thrust him into his arms and stormed his way back to the kitchen. He sat him down next to Mikey and it was then that he noticed that Mikey was sobbing and rubbing his eyes.

"What is the matter, Michelangelo?"

Mikey only hiccuped and continue to rub his eyes.

Splinter sighed and scooped him up. "Is it because I shouted at you?"

Mikey's lip quivered as he nodded his head.

Splinter hugged him close. "I am sorry, my son. I did not mean to shout at you. I did not want you to fall and get hurt. You needed to sit down." He rubbed his shell and kissed his cheek and then pulled him away and gave him a small smile. "Are you alright now?"

Mikey gave him a pouty nod and Splinter returned him to his chair. He returned to preparing breakfast.

* * *

As quickly as it began, breakfast time ended and the day went on. The day that Splinter wanted more than anything to be over. Before he knew it, nap time had arrived, giving him two hours to himself so that he could meditate and relax his strained thoughts.

After tucking the boys into their cot, he kissed each of them and turned to leave.

Donnie pulled a book out from under his pillow, crawled out from under the blanket and went to Splinter's feet before he could leave.

"Daddy, daddy!" he said tugging on his kimono. "Can you read us a story before nap time?"

Splinter sighed. "No, not now, Donatello. Perhaps at bedtime, but right now I need you to take a nap."

"But please? I wanna hear this story real bad! It's about a turtle and a bunny and..."

"No, Donatello, daddy needs some quiet time right now. Please return to your bed."

"But it'll only take a minute," Donnie whined. "I promise and then we go to sleep."

Splinter groaned and massaged his temples. "Get back in your bed, Donatello. I cannot read to you right now."

Donnie held the book up to him and bounced up and down. "Please, please, please, daddy! Ple-e-ease!"

Splinter ripped the book from his hands and tossed it across the room. "Get in the bed, Donatello! Now!"

Donnie looked at him, frozen in shock and slight fear.

"I said, _now_," Splinter said as he jerked the little one off of the floor and roughly placed him on the cot beside his brothers who watched him nervously. Splinter looked sternly into Donnie's fearful mahogany eyes. "Now, go to sleep. You do not need a story right now."

He left their room, none of them daring to make a single sound.

* * *

Splinter tried to meditate as the little ones slept, but he could not shake the image of Donatello's fearful eyes. He did not mean to be so harsh with the little one, but he just kept pushing him when his mind was already overwhelmed with fatigue. He sighed. Still, it was of no fault of his sons', they did not deserve the sour mood he was in.

He gave up on his meditation, pulled himself to his feet, and went back to his old family photo.

"I know I should not take out my sadness on the boys, my love," Splinter whispered to the photo. "This is always a hard day for me. Please do not be disappointed. I am trying."

He knew just what he needed to do in order to relax his mind; he needed to talk to his sons, so he sauntered out of the dojo and back to his sons' room.

As he had feared, they had all fallen asleep; he would have to wake them up. He lightly shook Leo, who was directly in front of him.

"Boys," he whispered, "wake up, my sons. Daddy wishes to speak with you."

Slowly, they each cracked their little eyes open and tried to rub the sleepiness from them.

Leo yawned. "Nap time over already?"

"No, Leonardo, it is not. I need to speak with the four of you about something important."

"What is it?" Raph groaned.

"First, Donatello, I am very sorry for the way I acted before you went to sleep. What I did was not very nice at all, and I know I upset you."

Donnie yawned. "'S'okay, daddy."

"It is not okay. I should not treat you that way. I am sorry that I have been in such a sour mood today. Daddy is just very sad today because a few years ago, before any of you came along, something very sad happened to me, and I get sad when I think about it. I get upset very easily when I am sad."

"W-what happen?" Mikey asked.

Splinter shook his head. "Perhaps I will tell you when you are a little older. You are not quite old enough to understand."

None of the boys said a word; they stared at him with sleepy eyes. He grinned.

"You may get back to your nap. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." He kissed each one on their cheek and told them he loved them. "I will get you up in a little while."

After Splinter left, Mikey rolled over and looked at Donnie. He frowned.

"Daddy is sad..."

Donnie nodded, his eyes barely open.

"We should do somethin' to make him happy 'gain," Mikey said.

Donnie yawned. "What you think we should do?"

Mikey thought hard. "Oh! I know! He likes flowers. We should get him flowers."

Donnie rolled over to face away from him.

"You can do it, Mikey. I'm too sleepy."

Mikey sat up and shrugged okay I will. He rolled off of the cot and trotted out of the room.

* * *

Splinter, having given up on meditating for the afternoon, stood over the kitchen sink washing the dishes from lunchtime. As he scrubbed his thoughts continuously drifted away to thoughts and images of his wife and precious baby girl. Miwa's pudgy little face and hands and tiny feet being held in her mother's petite arms and beheld in her fervent gaze. They were quite a beautiful sight, but alas, only a poignant memory. Never to be gazed upon again.

Splinter sighed.

"Daddy..."

He eased a little at the sound of his son's little voice. He turned.

"What is it, Michelangelo? What are you..." his heart skipped a beat and his body paused at the sight before him. There in his youngest son's chubby green fingers were the now defiled lilies that he had been nurturing for the past hardest four years of his life; the only ray of sunshine that existed in his somber dojo. The only thing left from his old life.

Splinter lost it. He jerked at the little one's arm, causing him to drop the lilies and cry out in what could not be determined as either pain, fear, or a hideous combination of the two.

"HAMATO MICHELANGELO, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" he violently shook the pudgy little arm in his furious grip. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!"

Mikey could not speak, only cry, scream, and struggle to catch his breath.

Splinter whirled him around, absently twisting his arm and swatted him repeatedly on his backside. After spanking him, he turned him around again and got inches from his puffy, wet face.

"YOU ARE NOT TO TOUCH DADDY'S THINGS, MICHELANGELO! EVER! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

Mikey squirmed and screamed, desperately trying to get away from his terrible overwhelmed father.

"DADDY, NO! OWW!"

Splinter released him and he sprinted away and hid underneath the couch. He collapsed to the floor, sat up against the cabinet and cried into his hands. What had he done?

To Be Continued...

**Looks like we've got another two parter. Now look, I don't usually do this, but before you leave critical comments that say Splinter is WAY out of character here, please understand that in situations like this even the most loving parents can get terribly overwhelmed and behave irrationally. Grief is a powerful feeling. Anyways, hate to leave you hanging on, but this is a pretty big one.**


	22. 022 - Abandoned

**Abandoned**

Splinter could not believe what had just happened. One of the most despicable and appalling things he believed that a parent could do, he had just done to his youngest son. What was he thinking? Michelangelo was only three-years-old and knew nothing of his former family. How could he have possibly known better? The whole thing made Splinter nauseous.

"D-daddy?" A small shaky voice broke his thoughts. He hoped it was Michelangelo, but much to his disappointment, it was Leonardo. "Was all da noise? I heard screamin' an' you yellin', an' why you sittin' on da floor?"

Splinter shook his head. "Everything is fine, Leonardo. Get back to your nap, please."

"You cryin'?" Leo asked, edging closer in his concern. "Can daddies cry?"

Splinter took a deep, calming breath, and wiped his eyes. "No, Leonardo, daddy is fine. I...I am just not feeling well, but I am okay."

Leo plopped down beside him. "Are you sad?"

Splinter scooped him up and hugged him to his chest. "Yes, Leonardo, but it is okay. Even daddies get sad sometimes. I will be fine, but you must get back to your nap."

He stood up and carried Leo.

"Where Mikey?" he asked.

Splinter sighed. "He went to the potty. I will bring him back too when he is done."

"Okay," Leo replied through a yawn.

Splinter tucked him in beside his two sleeping brothers and kissed his forehead.

"Get back to sleep, my son. I love you very much," he whispered.

Leo gave him a sleepy grin. "I love you too very much."

Splinter grinned warmly and left the room to look for Michelangelo, afraid of what he might find.

"Michelangelo," he called as he entered the living room. "Where are you, my son? Daddy wants to speak with you."

He received no answer.

"Michelangelo, daddy did not mean to hurt you. Please come out from where ever you are."

Splinter then heard small sniffling sounds and whimpering coming from underneath the couch.

He sighed and peaked underneath. There under the couch, Mikey laid on his stomach, crying into his little hands.

"Michelangelo..." Splinter reached out to touch him, but he flinched at the contact and backed away. He felt his heart shatter in his chest. "No, no, my sweet, I am not going to hurt you. I am very sorry for hurting you and yelling at you. Please come out and talk to daddy."

Big baby blue eyes that were filled with turmoil stared at the rat. Another whimper raddled in the toddler's throat.

"Ackachan, please come to me," Splinter pleaded. "I just want to make sure that you are okay. Why don't you come out and talk to daddy?"

"H-hurt my a-arm," Mikey choked.

Splinter didn't understand. "What, honey?"

"M-my ar-rm..."

"Your arm?" Splinter feared the worst. "Is your arm hurt?"

Mikey slowly nodded.

"Well, come now, let me help you," Splinter reached for the little one again, but he flinched.

Mikey gasped. "NO!" he cried. "D-daddy me-ean! Daddy h-hurt."

Splinter sighed and tried to swallow back his tears. "I know, Michelangelo and what daddy did was very bad. Daddies make mistakes sometimes and I want you to know that I am very sorry. Daddy loves you very very much. Please come out."

Mikey watched him with fearful eyes and backed away a bit more.

"Please do not be frightened of me," Splinter pleaded. "I will not harm you." He put his hand under the couch again and tried to offer it to Mikey.

Mikey tried to back away further, but slipped and fell on his injured arm.

"OW!" he cried out before bursting into a fit of tears again.

Splinter then crawled under the couch as much as he could and grabbed the injured toddler.

Mikey screamed at the top of his lungs. "NO! DADDY, NO!"

In spite of the little one's desperate protest, Splinter pulled him out from under the couch and sat on the couch with him in his lap. He tried to take the arm that Mikey was cradling in his other arm, but he pulled away.

"No touch it!" he squealed.

"Michelangelo, I have to make sure your arm is okay. Please let me see it," Splinter went for the arm again. "I promise I will not hurt you. I will be careful."

Mikey sniffled and reluctantly allowed his father to take his arm and look it over. Already, it was swollen to twice it's natural size and was turning a dark shade of purple. It was as Splinter had feared; he had sprained his baby's arm.

He sighed. "Oh Michelangelo, I am so sorry." He pulled him close to him and kissed his head. That's when he finally noticed that Mikey was shaking. "Daddy did not mean to hurt you."

"D-daddy...n-not li-ike da f'ow-wers?" Mikey whimpered.

Splinter shook his head. "No, Mikey, I loved them. It's just..." he sighed. "Those flowers were very important to daddy and picking them killed them."

Mikey gave him a piteous scowl. "I s-sowwy..."

Splinter hugged him tighter. "No, no, my son, do not be sorry. You are just a baby, you did not know any better. _I_ know better than to harm you. Daddy was wrong, not you." He kissed him again. "You're a _very_ good boy, Michelangelo."

"W-why...y-you h-hit m-me?" Mikey choked.

Splinter sighed. "Baby, I just...I don't know how to answer that. Sometimes when people get really sad and upset they...well, they make bad choices and do bad things without thinking."

Mikey seemed to snuggle closer to him in his arms. "W-why you sad?"

"Something bad happened to me a couple years ago, before you came along. I still get very very sad about it."

Mikey touched his father's arm with the hand on his good arm and began to stroke it gingerly.

"No be sad, d-daddy," he whispered. "L-love you."

Splinter felt himself tear up again as he squeezed his son tighter. "I love you too, my sweet, sweet child."

"What happen?" Mikey asked.

Splinter hesitated, having feared that the little one would ask. "Someone that I loved very much went away from me forever. I miss them very very much."

"Where dey go?"

Splinter sighed. "Somewhere very far away." Splinter desperately searched for a way to get off of the topic. "May I see your arm again?"

Mikey nodded and allowed his father to touch his injured arm. Splinter shook his head once more upon seeing the extent of the swelling.

"Come, let's wrap up your arm," he said and carried Mikey off to the bathroom. He set him on the toilet and retrieved the first-aid kit from under the sink. "I will try not to hurt you, but I need you to be brave for me, alright?"

Mikey whimpered, but nodded. "Be caywful."

"I will." Splinter wrapped several layers of toilet paper around the sprained forearm to cushion it and then wrapped the elastic gauze around it over top of the paper. Mikey only flinched slightly. "Good boy," Splinter praised.

Mikey held his arm to his father's face. "Kiss it."

Splinter chuckled. "Of course." He kissed the arm. "Is there anywhere else I need to make better?"

Mikey gestured to his backside. "Hurt my hiney."

Splinter picked him up and turned him over to inspect his backside and felt his heart sink at the sight of the bruises on his upper thighs. He turned him back over and cradled him in his arms.

"Well, I am not going to kiss your hiney, so I'll just kiss you." He kissed Mikey's beak, making the tot smile and giggle. "Does that work?"

"Uh-huh," Mikey chuckled.

Splinter stared down at him. "I love you very much, Michelangelo. Do you know that?"

Mikey nodded. "Love you too very much."

"Do you want a cuppie? Are you thirsty?"

"Yes, p'ease," Mikey chirped.

Splinter filled up a sippy cup with tea and sat down on the couch, cradling Mikey in his arms.

Mikey drank from the sippiecup, holding it with his good arm and slowly slipped from consciousness in his father's arms.

Once asleep, Splinter took the sippy cup, placed it beside him, and held Mikey to his chest. Only minutes later, he had drifted off too.

* * *

She was beautiful: her pale face, her long black locks of hair, her hazel eyes peering through perfectly beautiful slanted eyelids.

He was precious: his innocent cyan eyes, his freckles dabbed on his cheeks by the kisses of angels, and his fervent smile illuminating the air around him. He was in her arms, and she was smiling at him with an adoration only a mother could give.

Around her feet, Donatello hugged her ankle while Leonardo and Raphael carried on with a little girl a few inches taller than them, laughing and wrestling all the while.

She looked from Michelangelo in her arms and smiled at the man before her.

"Take care of them, Yoshi," she said. "I love them from far away, but I love them deeply."

Splinter noticed that Michelangelo was now asleep. She handed him off to him and he took the sleeping toddler into his arms and held him tight.

She kissed Splinter on the cheek and then leaned down and kissed Michelangelo on the forehead.

The little girl came to her side and they smiled at him and disappeared.

* * *

"Daddy, you 'wake?"

Splinter woke up on the couch with Mikey sitting on his chest and tapping his nose. He glanced at the clock and saw that he had been asleep for an hour.

"Yes, my son," he replied and sat up, holding Mikey to his chest again. "How do you feel? Is your arm okay?"

Mikey groaned. "Hurts a little." He rubbed his belly. "I hungry."

Splinter grinned. "Well let's go figure out what to make for dinner."

**A/N: "Ackachan" means "Baby" in Japanese. **


	23. 023 - Dreams

**Dreams**

"_Daddy!_"

"_Daddy hewp!_"

"_I'm scared! Where's daddy?!_"

The terrified screams of Splinter's four beloved boys rang throughout the sewers. He ran from tunnel to tunnel, desperate to find where their shrieks were coming from.

"Boys?" he called. "My sons, where are you?!"

The sounds of crying started to become clearer.

"Leonardo? Raphael?" he frantically looked through the dark. "Donatello? Michelangelo? Boys, where are you?! What is happening?"

"_Daddy! There's a bad man!_" He knew that voice to be Leo's, but he still could see none of the boys.

"Hold on, Leonardo! Daddy is coming!"

"_Get away, bad man!_ _I will bite you!_" Raphael yelled.

Splinter began to panic and did his best to rip apart the darkness with his vision. Anything to find his distressed children.

"Boys! Where is the bad man? Is he harming you?"

"The bad man is behind you, Hamato Yoshi," a sinister baritone voice pierced the unsettling quiet.

Splinter turned and there before his eyes was his old enemy, Oroku "Shredder" Saki, standing with his four crying sons at his feet, their little hands tied behind their backs.

"Daddy, see? I-is the b-bad man!" Mikey cried. "G-get h-him!"

The Shredder kicked the little one onto his stomach, causing him to cry a little louder.

"Michelangelo!" Splinter cried. "Oroku Saki, you let my boys go! You are scaring them and they have done no wrong!"

The Shredder laughed menacingly. "Why would I do that?" He bent down to their level and pulled a shaking Leonardo close to his side. "We are having fun, aren't we, Leonardo?"

Leo attempted to edge away. "D-daddy! I'm s-scared!"

"Get th-the bad m-man!" Donnie screamed.

Splinter knew to act, but he found himself to be frozen. All that he could do was stare at his sons' scared, tear-stained little faces.

"P-please Saki, it is me y-you want. Let them go," Splinter begged.

"Well now I am in a dilemma, you see," Shredder mocked. "I cannot decide what I will relish more. Your precious children watching their father perish, or you watching as I drain the life from your children one...by...one." He unsheathed his gauntlet and held it to Leo's throat.

Leo whimpered. "D-daddy..."

"N-no..." Splinter whispered. "Oroku Saki, please, they are just children. Do not harm them."

"Why not? After all, shouldn't a child be with their mother?"

Splinter had heard enough. He lunged at the Shredder in a swift movement, but it was not enough. The Shredder drew his gauntlet across young Leo's throat. Leo tumbled to the ground as his innocent life drained from his jugular.

"NO-O!" Splinter fell to his knees and went to take Leo into his arms, hoping that there were some chance that the child would survive. Before he could even secure his hold on Leo, the younger three had fallen to the ground in the same fashion as their brother: cut and dying.

"NO!" Splinter cried one more time and found himself sitting up in his room, panting. As he looked around, he quickly understood he had only had a nightmare. A dreadful nightmare. He massaged his temples and took deep soothing breaths. "Calm yourself, Yoshi," he said to himself. "It was only a dream. Your boys are safe. The Shredder is in Japan and does not know you are even alive. He cannot harm them here."

He stood up from his cot, wrapped his kimono around himself and walked urgently to his sons' bedroom. Once there, he stood in the doorway and watched them: four blanketed lumps that steadily heaved up and down. He entered and sat beside the cot, staring at Leonardo. His face was relaxed and peaceful with his mouth hanging slightly open as he sucked in one easy breath after another.

Splinter grinned and lightly stroked his head, unintentionally waking him. Dark blue eyes stared at him through sleepy eyelids.

"D-daddy...?"

"I was just coming to check on you and your brothers, my son," Splinter said. "Are you sleeping alright?"

Leo rubbed his eyes and nodded. "I had a bad dream, though..."

Splinter sighed. "Daddy had a bad dream too. Why don't you tell me about your dream?"

Leo yawned. "I don't 'member. I just remember that there was a monster in it. I think he was hungry for turtle."

Splinter chuckled and pulled Leo into his lap. "Do you remember what this monster looked like?"

"Kinda: he was big an' purple with weird green bumps all over him, but I bet you could beat him up."

Splinter smirked. "I am sure I could."

"What was _your_ dream?"

Splinter scowled.

"Was there a monster in yours too?"

He sighed. "Yes, there was. He had tried to hurt you and your brothers."

Leo cocked his head. "Why would he do that?"

Splinter shook his head. "I do not know my son. He was a bad man."

Leo smirked. "Did you kick his butt?"

Splinter hesitated. "I do not know. I had woken up before I could do anything, but don't worry, I certainly would have." He tickled Leo's tummy, making him giggle and grab hold of his father's hand. "But remember, my son, it was only a dream." He sighed. "There are no such things as monsters."

Leo smiled and hugged his father's neck. "None that you can't whoop."

Splinter returned the hug. "Right, Leonardo."

**One of my shortest so far, but I'm still satisfied with it. Sorry for such a delay. I've been caught up in working full time.**


	24. 024 - Teamwork

**Teamwork**

Michelangelo eagerly hopped up and down in his chair. "Daddy, daddy! Come on, I'm hungry!"

"Patience Michelangelo, we must wait for Leonardo and Raphael," Splinter said as he set five plates of worms and algae on the table.

"We're here, daddy," Raph said as he and Leo entered the kitchen and leaped into their chairs.

"Sorry we took so long," Leo said. "We were practicing a kata."

"That is quite alright, my sons."

"So can we eat now?" Mikey asked.

Splinter nodded. "Yes, you may eat now."

Mikey did a silent cheer before practically burying his face in his plate.

"Slow down, Michelangelo," Splinter ordered. "You could choke."

"Hai, Sensei," he said with a mouthful.

"Now pardon me, my sons. I must use the restroom."

"Okay, daddy," Leo said as the others nodded.

"By the way, has anybody seen my crayons?" Mikey spoke up between his mouthfuls.

"Nope," Raph replied, "haven't seen 'em. Why are you accusing me of stealing them or something?"

Mikey cocked his head. "Uh…no…I was just wondering…"

"Leonardo! Raphael! Come in here right now!"

Leo and Raph glanced at each other and swallowed hard. Mikey shifted nervously in his chair and looked to Donnie.

"You guys better get in there," Donnie whispered. "Daddy sounds pretty mad."

* * *

"W-what is it, daddy?" Leo asked as he stepped through the doorway of the bathroom. It was then that he and Raph noticed that their father was standing in a significantly large puddle of water.

Splinter pulled a plastic sai and katana from the toilet bowl and held them up, awaiting an explanation. When he did not receive one, he decided he'd ask.

"Do these belong to you?"

"How did they get in there?" Raph asked.

Splinter dropped the fake weapons and crossed his arms, looking unamused.

"I had thought that the two of you had outgrown the age of playing in the toilet," Splinter scolded.

"But daddy, we didn't do that we were…" Leo hesitated.

* * *

Earlier…

"Look Raphie! I'm drawing a sun for the house!" Leonardo eagerly colored in a picture of a smiling sun with a yellow crayon on the wall of his father's dojo.

Raphael smirked as he colored in the windows of his crudely drawn house with a red crayon.

"Now we have sunshine to light up the bloody windows," he said.

"Raphie I said no blood!"

Raph laughed. "There's gonna be guts in the yard!"

Leo pushed his fists to his hips and glared. "No, blood is bad! It's gross!"

"If you don't like it, draw your own house!"

Leo huffed. "Fine." He picked up a black crayon and began to draw a simple house with a triangle roof and one door surrounded by two windows. "My house is gonna have a car at it. It's gonna be a red one!"

"Red like blood! A bloody car!"

Leo glared. "No, Raphie! No blood!"

Raph leaned over his older brother and scribbled all over his drawing with red crayon. He laughed. "Now there's blood everywhere!"

Leo gasped and shoved Raph. "Why did you do that? You ruined it!"

Raph smirked. "No, stupid! I made it cooler!"

"Daddy said don't say that word!"

"Stupid! Stupid! Stu-pid!" Raph taunted.

"Stoppit!" Leo shouted and picked up a brown crayon. He scribbled all over Raph's 'bloody' drawing. "How do you like it?!"

Raph stared at the ruined drawing, snorting while trying to stifle some giggles.

Leo frowned. "What's so funny?"

Raph chuckled. "Looks like poopy."

Leo looked closer at the picture and soon caught on to the idea that poop is also brown. He giggled. "It does look like poopy."

"Someone's butt exploded everywhere!"

Leo laughed. "Eww! They had an accident!"

Raph picked up the yellow crayon and scribbled underneath the drawings of the houses. "Now there's peepee!"

"Haha! More accidents!"

"Boys! Lunch is ready!"

Their father's voice cut through their laughter like a newly sharpened cleaver. The two gasped at each other and then at their little 'art project'.

"Uhoh…" Leo squeaked. "Daddy is gonna be mad."

"He might explode this time."

"Well what are we gonna do? We're gonna be in so much trouble!"

Raph gave him a sinister smirk. "You mean Mikey and Donnie are gonna be in so much trouble."

Leo cocked his head. "What?"

Raph picked up a purple crayon and drew a large 'D' over top of his scribbles. He dropped the purple crayon carelessly and searched for the orange one. Once he found it, he picked it up and handed it to Leo.

"Write an 'M'," he said. "'M' for Mikey."

"I don't know, Raphie. I don't want them to get in big trouble."

"Would you rather us get in big trouble?"

Leo sighed and accepted the crayon.

"Leonardo! Raphael! Boys, it is lunchtime! Where are you?"

"Coming, daddy!" Leo called back as he drew the large "M" and threw the crayon back on the floor.

"Come on, we gotta go eat now! I'm starving!" Raph grabbed Leo by the wrist and drug him out of the dojo.

* * *

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "You were what, Leonardo?"

Leo grinned sheepishly. "We were practicing a kata in the dojo like we said earlier."

Raph grinned as well for good measure. "Yeah, yeah, that's right."

"How could you have been practicing if your weapons are in the toilet?"

Raph looked to Leo, hoping he'd have a more convincing answer.

"We were practicing without weapons this time," Leo lied.

Raph nodded hastily to confirm.

"Alright," Splinter said, though his voice still sounding skeptical, "well, if you two are not responsible for this mess, who do you suppose is? Perhaps Michelangelo? Donatello?"

Raph shrugged his shoulders. "Could have been."

Splinter's stern glance morphed to a glare. "Enough of this foolishness!" he shouted. "You two are not to lie to me! I want you both to clean up this mess and meet me in my quarters when you are done. Now, go find a mop!"

"But daddy, we didn't do it!" Leo argued.

Splinter went for his belt around his waist.

"Okay! Okay! We'll clean it up!" Raph said and pulled Leo out of the bathroom.

Mikey and Donnie watched them scurry out of the bathroom and through the kitchen. They exchanged a worried glance, but instantly returned to eating their meal at the sound of their father's footsteps reentering the room.

"W-what happened, daddy?" Donnie asked.

"I suppose your brothers thought it would be funny to stuff their practice weapons in the toilet," Splinter grumbled. "They flooded the bathroom."

"Are they in trouble?" Mikey asked.

Splinter sighed. "Yes." With that, he left the kitchen and headed toward his bedroom. "Boys, when you are done cleaning your mess I want you to meet me in my bedroom," he called.

"Hai, Sensei," Leo and Raph called back in unison.

"D-Donnie, you don't think they're gonna…" Mikey swallowed hard, "…th-they're gonna get…s-spanked, do you?"

Donnie scowled. "No, no, n-not for…th-that." He sighed. "M-maybe we should go tell th-the truth? Just in case."

"I don't know, Donnie. He seemed pretty mad. I-I'm kinda scared to."

"Well then, maybe we just let them get in trouble this time, but next time something like this happens, we tell the truth?" Donnie suggested.

Mikey gave him a half-hearted smile. "O-okay."

"_Donatello! Michelangelo! Get in here this instant!_" Splinter's shout rang out throughout the lair.

Mikey and Donnie exchanged another look of fear.

"L-looks like he already found out," Mikey whispered.

Donnie grabbed his hand and ushered him out of his chair. "Come on, we b-better go see what he wants."

* * *

Leo held the sponge to the soaked floor and waited for it to become completely saturated. Once it was he rung it out over a bucket.

"You think sensei saw the wall? I heard him yell," he said.

"I hope so. It would serve them right!" Raph growled. "I know it was them that did this. Little jerks. We're gonna get in trouble 'cause of this."

Leo sighed. "Yeah…"

Donnie and Mikey met Splinter in the dojo. He was waiting with his hands behind his back, sporting a stern glance at his two youngest sons.

"What i-is it, daddy?" Donnie asked.

Splinter stepped to the side to reveal the colorful scribbles all over the stone wall.

"Boys, what is this?"

Mikey and Donnie gasped.

Donnie shrugged. "I don't know, daddy. We didn't do that."

Mikey nodded in agreement.

"No?" Splinter bent down and gestured to the crayons at his feet. "Michelangelo, aren't these _your_ crayons?"

"Well, y-yeah, but I didn't…"

"Are these not your initials, boys?"

"Yes, they are, daddy, but we didn't do that. We were…um…" Donnie hesitated.

* * *

Earlier…

Mikey sat waist-deep in the toilet bowl, and pointed a plastic sai straight ahead. "Full speed ahead, sailor Donnie!"

Donnie, perched atop the upper deck, laughed. "No, Mikey, it's _Captain_ Donnie!"

"Sorry," Mikey giggled. "Full speed ahead, Captain Donnie!"

"What do you see sailor?" Donnie asked.

"Big waves!" Mikey screeched. "High tide!"

Donnie nodded. "Very well." He used the plastic katana in his hand as a makeshift transmission and pretended to shift gears.

"Donnie, that means flush the potty," Mikey whispered.

"Oh right." Donnie pushed down the lever with his toe and water flowed out of the bowl all around Mikey.

The two laughed madly.

"A pirate's life is a life for me!" Mikey sang.

"Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!" Donnie sang along.

Mikey laughed louder. "I don't know the rest of the words."

Donnie laughed too, but it was cut short when he glanced at the floor and noticed the mess they had made.

"_Boys! Lunch is ready!_"

It was then that Mikey too noticed the mess. "Uhoh…"

"'Uhoh's right," Donnie replied. "How are we gonna explain this to daddy?"

Mikey climbed out of the bowl, his feet making a splash the second they met the floor. He looked down in the bowl and noticed that he'd left the sai in the bowl. He went to pull it out, but Donnie grabbed his hand.

"Wait a minute," Donnie said. "What if the mess could explain itself?"

Mikey raised an eye ridge. "Huh?"

"What if we just left the weapons in here and then daddy could figure out what happened on his own?" Donnie suggested.

"But then it will just look like Leo and Raphie did it…"

Donnie smirked. "Exactly."

"But then they will get in trouble, and we…won't…" Mikey smirked as well once he finally caught on. "Oh…"

* * *

Splinter tapped his foot. "You were what, Donatello?"

"W-we were sw-wimming!" Donnie lied. "In the sewer."

Splinter arched an eyebrow. "Without my permission?"

"Uh…" Mikey and Donnie looked to each other for a good answer.

Splinter sighed. "It is no matter, because I do not believe you anyway. Now I want you two to go get a bucket and some soap and scrub this wall completely clean! Now! And Michelangelo, I am taking your crayons away until further notice!"

Mikey gasped. "Daddy, no! That's not fair!"

Splinter pointed to the scribbling on the wall. "No, my son, _this_ is not fair! I give you these things so that you may entertain yourself and express your creative abilities and you abuse them by using them to disrespect your father's things!"

"But I…"

"Enough!" Splinter shouted. "You will clean all of this up, and then you will meet me in my bedroom with your brothers, understand?"

Donnie and Mikey bowed their heads. "Hai, Sensei."

Splinter made a beeline for his bedroom and turned to them as he entered the doorway.

"I will be waiting," he said. "Michelangelo, clean up your crayons and then bring them to me."

"Hai, Sensei," Mikey groaned.

Without another word, Splinter shut his door.

Mikey crossed his arms over his chest in a pout. "I didn't do this."

"You couldn't have. _We _couldn't have. We were in the bathroom," Donnie added.

"I bet Raphie and Leo did this!"

Donnie sighed. "Probably. Come on, let's go get stuff to clean this up."

* * *

Leo and Raph moved with apprehension to their father's bedroom. Once in the dojo, they noticed their two younger brothers scrubbing the wall.

"Awww, what did you guys do?" Raph taunted, earning him two angry glares and a nervous shuffle from Leo.

All four boys jumped at the sound of Splinter's bedroom door sliding open.

"Boys, come," he ordered. "All of you. Donatello, Michelangelo, you will finish cleaning your mess after I speak with you."

"Hai, Sensei."

Mikey picked up his box of crayons and followed his older brothers into his father's bedroom.

Splinter closed the door behind them and gestured to his cot. "Sit," he ordered.

All four boys sat in a row on their father's cot, their little minds racing, wondering what was to become of them.

"I am very disappointed in the four of you," Splinter scolded. "Leonardo, Raphael, you boys are five years old. You are beyond the years of knowing better than to play around in the toilet. I cannot believe I am still having to have this talk with you."

The two oldest boys knew it best not to argue at this point and just take their scolding, bowing their heads to the floor in submission.

"And you two," Splinter pointed to his two youngest.

Mikey and Donnie followed the older twos' example and bowed their heads to the floor.

"Donatello, I could have expected this sort of thing from Michelangelo, considering that he has done it before, but you…" Splinter shook his head. "You never did this when you were younger, why would you start now?"

The scolding pained Donnie to listen to, but just like Leo, he saw no use in trying to argue.

"And Michelangelo, I gave you those crayons as a gift. I got them for you and it seems no matter what I do, you continue to use them to disobey me. I do not appreciate that."

"But daddy, I didn't do that," Mikey whimpered, keeping his face against the floor. "I was…um…" He turned his head to look at Donnie and whispered, "What did we tell daddy we were doing again?"

Splinter banged his staff on the ground. "Enough! Stand up."

The four obeyed and stood tense.

"You will each have a choice: you may take a spanking and get no treats for the rest of the week, or you will have something confiscated until further notice. Leonardo?"

Leo looked nervously into his father's stern glance.

"You have a choice: spanking and no treats or sparring without your practice weapon until further notice."

Any sensible person would choose the spanking and get it over with, but for a five-year-old boy with a strict Japanese father, a ninja master at that, getting a spanking seemed a fate worse than death. Whether he used his hand or that dreaded green staff, his spankings were no butterfly kisses.

"I-I…I'll go without my practice weapon for a while," Leo mumbled.

"Very well." Splinter looked to Raphael. "Raphael, the same options go for you."

Raph looked to Leo, hoping to find the right answer.

"Uh…w-what Leo said," he groaned.

Splinter nodded. "Donatello, spanking and no treats or I cut back your reading time and give you extra training?"

Donnie shuddered. Less reading and more training sounded nightmarish, but worse than a spanking? Perhaps not. Maybe if he was extra good, 'further notice' wouldn't be for very long. He sighed.

"I'll take the second one," he whispered.

"That leaves you Michelangelo," Splinter began. "Spanking and no treats or no crayons until further notice?"

Mikey loved his treats and also loved his coloring, but along with that, he was petrified of spankings. Spanking would hurt and not having any treats for the rest of the week would suck, but no crayons? What would he do to pass the time? Or worse: what if Splinter was so mad that he decided to never give them back? No, he just couldn't bear that.

Mikey looked at his feet. "I'll take the spanking…"

Splinter's eyes widened. "You are sure?"

Mikey nodded hesitantly.

Splinter sighed. "Very well." He knelt down and picked Mikey up, turning him over his knee. "I do not want to do this, my son, but you have been warned more than enough times." He raised his hand to swat.

"Wait!" Leo cried out.

Splinter stopped and looked to his oldest son.

"Mikey didn't color on the wall, daddy, and neither did Donnie," Leo confessed. "I-it was me. I didn't wanna get in trouble, so I made it look like they did it."

Raph shuffled his feet. "A-and…I helped him. I-I'm sorry."

"And Mikey and I made the mess in the bathroom. We were playing pirates in the toilet," Donnie confessed.

Splinter sighed. "I see…" Without missing a beat, he swatted Mikey on his backside repeatedly until the little one was reduced to tears. He hugged him for reassurance and set him back on the floor.

Four sets of eyes looked back at him with sorrow and confusion.

"Your punishments still stand. I hope this will be a lesson to you boys about telling the truth. Perhaps if you had told the truth in the first place, your punishments would be lesser," Splinter scolded. "I am proud of you for telling the truth, rather than continuing to lie, but I am disappointed that you were willing to sacrifice each other to get out of trouble. You are family; you must look after one another, not sabotage each other for your own sakes."

"Hai, Sensei," Leo mumbled.

"Now, Michelangelo and Donatello, I believe you have a wall to clean."

Mikey and Donnie groaned. "Hai, Sensei."


	25. 025 - Dying

**Dying**

The television abruptly shut off before the three turtle toddlers' drowsy eyes. They turned their attention to their father, the culprit.

He smiled. "Time for bed, boys."

Leonardo yawned. "Five more minutes…please?"

Splinter chuckled and scooped up his youngest, who was asleep on the couch.

"No, Leonardo, it is getting late. Come now."

Leo rubbed his eyes. "Okay."

"You need no second bidding tonight?" Splinter joked. "You must be very tired." He then noticed that Michelangelo felt a tad warmer than usual and felt his forehead and face.

Leo, Donnie, and Raph all three nodded and yawned, and Splinter walked behind them to guide them to their bedroom. Each of them climbed into their homemade cots and awaited their father to tuck them in and kiss them goodnight.

Splinter placed the dozing Mikey on his cot and tucked him in snugly. He decided he would feel his forehead again just to be safe.

"You are a bit warm…" he muttered. Nonetheless, he kissed his forehead and went on to tuck in and kiss his older three.

"Goodnight, my sons. I love you all," he said before exiting the room.

"Love…you…y-you too…"

"Lo-ove you…too…"

"_Snore…._"

Splinter gave his boys one last fervent glance and then retired to his dojo for his routine late night meditation.

He sat himself down cross-legged in his dojo and lit two candles around him. He exhaled deeply and began the relaxing of his body and then his mind. Having mastered the art long ago, it didn't take long for the world around him to slip away. All thoughts of the day had disappeared: the mishaps, the spills, the booboos, and the petty fighting, an ordinary day in the Hamato family. It had all slipped to the temporary vault in the back of his mind. All that he had to think about was his own breathing and the stillness of his relaxing muscles.

"_Daddy…_" a small voice moaned.

That quickly, the vault opened and his thoughts released throughout his brain. He sighed and opened his eyes. There before him in the candlelight stood his youngest son gazing at him with tired and uncomfortable baby blue eyes.

"What is it, my dear?"

"Daddy, I frew up…"

It was then that Splinter noticed that Mikey's chin and plastron were covered in vomit. He sighed and massaged his temples.

"Did you make it to the bathroom?"

Mikey shook his head. "I frew up in my bed. Sorry, I was sleepin'."

Splinter rose to his feet. "That is alright, Michelangelo." He took the little one's hand. "Come now, let's get you cleaned up."

"Okay…" Mikey allowed himself to be led off to their only bathroom, dragging his feet all the way.

Splinter turned on the faucet and began to fill the bathtub. He knelt down and turned to Mikey.

"Do you still feel sick, my son?"

Mikey groaned and rubbed his belly. "A little."

"Alright, just try to hold out until I can get you back into your bed."

"_Daddy!_" A voice yelled for him from his sons' bedroom.

Splinter sighed. "It looks like someone else needs me too." He placed Mikey in the tub. "Why don't you try and wash yourself off a bit? I will come back and help you in a moment." He handed Mikey a wet rag.

Mikey gave him a sleepy nod. "Hai, Sensei."

"_Da-a-a-dd-y-y!"_

Splinter stood. "Please, do not go anywhere."

"Hai, Sensei."

* * *

Splinter entered the bedroom to find that the voice yelling for him had come from Leonardo. He was sitting up in his bed with his arms folded over his chest, showing his disapproval.

"What is the matter, Leonardo?"

"Daddy, I woke up and now I can't go back to sleep 'cause something stinks in here," he complained. "It stinks _really_ bad."

"My apologies, my son. Michelangelo got sick in his bed. In fact, I'm going to change his sheets right now."

Leo held his nose. "Well, please hurry 'cause it smells."

Splinter stripped down the bed at the end of the row of the four and, though filthy, folded the sheets neatly. Without another word, he went to exit the room, not wanting to leave a sick Mikey alone for too long.

"Daddy, is Mikey okay?" Leo asked.

Splinter turned and grinned. "Yes Leonardo, your brother is fine. He is just feeling a bit sick. Go back to sleep now."

Leo groaned. "But it still stinks…"

"Just give it time to pass. It will be gone soon. Good night, Leonardo."

Leo yawned. "Good night."

Splinter trudged off to their tiny laundry room and threw the contaminated bed sheets in his antique washing machine. He opened a plastic tote beside the machine and pulled out a rubber liner and a spare blanket. He then began to wonder how many times he would have to switch between Mikey's sheets and spare sheets throughout the night.

"_Da-a-dd-y-y!_" A tear-stricken voice screamed for him from what he could tell was the bathroom.

He sighed and paced to the bathroom. When he entered, he saw Mikey, soaking wet, heaving into the toilet.

"Da-addy…" He croaked through tears.

Splinter knelt beside him and stroked his shell in soothing circles. "Do not cry, my son. You will be alright."

Mikey hiccupped. "S-sick…"

"I know, I know," Splinter soothed, "but I am sure it's just a small tummy bug. We will get you cleaned up and then get you back in the bed so you can lie down."

"'K-kay…"

"Are you all done?"

Mikey nodded and Splinter took some tissue from the toilet paper roll and wiped his mouth. He then scooped him up and set him back in the tub.

"No daddy," he whined, "I just wanna go back to bed."

"I know, and I will make this quick, but you cannot go back to bed without being cleaned properly."

Mikey groaned as his father thoroughly scrubbed his plastron.

* * *

Splinter lay Mikey down on his own cot after covering it with the spare sheets and tucked him in.

"I am sorry, my sweet, I must do one last thing before I let you go to sleep," he said and put the thermometer near Mikey's face. "Open up."

Mikey reluctantly opened his mouth and Splinter tucked the thermometer under his tongue.

"Keep it under your tongue."

Splinter sniffed the air and took note of the fact that the room still smelled foul.

He sighed. "Why does it still stink in here?"

The thermometer beeped and Splinter pulled it from his son's mouth. It read 65.1 degrees, five degrees higher than healthy. He ruffled Mikey's head.

"Well you definitely have a fever. Would you like a glass of water before you go to sleep?"

Mikey shook his head, barely holding his eyes open.

"Stinks in here," he groaned.

"Yes, I know. It is just from you throwing up in your bed. It will pass." He leaned in and kissed Mikey on his forehead. "Yell for me or come and get me if you need me."

Splinter moved to the neighboring cot to check on Donatello and tuck him in again. He was alarmed to find that the foul smell seemed to get worse. Something in him told him to pull down the blankets. He did so and recoiled at the horrendous sight. Donatello had voided his bowels all over his cot and himself.

He held a hand over his muzzle as he stepped back and took a second to recompose himself and then sighed as he carefully shook Donnie awake.

"Donatello?" he whispered. "Donatello, wake up, my son."

Donnie rolled over with a groan. "W-what?"

Splinter cautiously lifted him up. "Come with me. You had an accident." He carried him off to the bathroom, holding him away from his body and sat him in the empty tub.

"I feel nauseous…"

Splinter turned on the faucet. "You must have what Mikey has," he said.

"Mikey's sick?"

Splinter filled up the cup on the side of the tub and rinsed off Donnie's lower half.

Donnie gasped. "Did I poop in my bed?"

Splinter chuckled lightly. "Yes, you did. It is okay, though. Accidents happen when you are sick."

"Please don't tell my brothers…"

Splinter grinned and finally put the plug in the drain and began to fill the tub.

"Do not worry, my son, this will stay between the two of us. Do you think you could clean yourself while I go change your sheets?"

Donnie nodded and picked up the washrag.

Splinter rose to his feet and went to the boys' room.

He, once again, stripped a cot and neatly folded the contaminated blankets.

"Daddy…"a voice groaned.

"What is it, Raphael?"

"M-my head hurts," Raph sat up and rubbed his forehead. "And it smells bad in here."

"Donatello and Michelangelo got sick in their beds," Splinter explained. "Try to get some rest. I must tend to Donatello, but if you still have a headache when I am done, let me know and I will take care of it."

Raph yawned and threw his head back on the pillow. "Okay..."

Splinter gathered up the blankets and once again and took them to the laundry room. He moved Mikey's sheets to the dryer and loaded the washing machine with Donnie's. He then retrieved another bed liner from the tote and made his way back to the boys' room.

While he remade Donnie's bed, he heard Mikey roll over and groan loudly in his bed. He watched him for a moment, and once he saw that the little one had seemed to settle again, he returned his attention to the bed.

After another few seconds, Mikey began to whimper in his bed.

"Mikey, stop that. My head hurts," Raph whined.

Mikey whimpered a little louder.

"Shut u-u-up!"

"Raphael," Splinter scolded. "Hush. Your brother does not feel well either. Yelling at him won't make either of you feel better."

"Daddy," Mikey whined.

"Yes, Michelangelo?"

Mikey sat up. "I think…I think I g-gotta use the potty." He felt his tummy cramp up and rumble loudly, and he began to panic. He rolled out of bed. "Y-yeah, I gotta go!"

Splinter rushed to his side, scooped him up, and took him to the bathroom. He lifted the toilet lid with his foot and placed Mikey on the seat just in time before his bowels released. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Mikey began to cry.

"It is alright, Michelangelo. It is just diarrhea," Splinter soothed.

"B-but my guts are g-gonna fa-all out!" Mikey screamed. "I-it hurts! It hu-urts!"

Splinter chuckled. "My son, you cannot poop out your organs."

"Actually," Donnie spoke up from the bath tub, "it is possible to poop your own guts. Like one time, on TV…"

"Donatello, please!" Splinter interrupted. "No, Michelangelo, you will be fine. Do not cry."

In spite of his father's soothing, Mikey continued to cry while his bowels moved almost endlessly.

Donatello felt the contents of his stomach begin to rise.

"Uhoh…Daddy…"

"What is wrong, Donatello?"

Donnie breathed heavier. "I think I'm gonna vomit…"

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no." Splinter pulled him from the tub and frantically looked for a place for him to spill his stomach contents. He spotted the sink, and though he didn't like the idea, knew he didn't have much other choice or much time to even think of something else. He reluctantly held Donnie over the sink, and immediately his stomach released.

Splinter cringed as he watched the sink he had just cleaned earlier that day fill with vomit.

Donatello too began to cry, causing Mikey to cry even more.

Splinter rubbed Donnie's shell in soothing circles, while he vomited for several minutes. Splinter was in awe that a little three-year-old could hold so much in such a tiny belly.

"Are you finished, Donatello?"

Donnie nodded sleepily.

Splinter got a tissue and wiped his mouth. "Come now, let's get you back into bed."

"Wait!" Donnie protested. "Gotta brush my teeth! Throw up will rot them!"

Splinter grinned and set him back on the floor. "Of course." He retrieved Donnie's toothbrush and dabbed it with toothpaste. "Open up."

Donnie opened up and Splinter brushed his teeth for him. He glanced over and saw that Mikey had stopped crying and was dozing off on the toilet.

"Michelangelo," he said, "are you all done now?"

Mikey nodded. "Mm-hmm."

"Okay, just wait one moment. I must get your brother back into bed, and then I will clean you."

"I can do it…" Mikey protested.

"I know you can, my son, but I just want to make sure you are cleaned well enough after…that."

"'kay, daddy…"

Splinter scooped up Donnie and went back to the bedroom.

"Daddy," Raphael whined upon his entry.

Splinter laid Donnie on his cot and tucked him in. "What is the matter, Raphael?" He leaned in and kissed Donnie's forehead.

"Tell Mikey and Donnie to be quiet," he sobbed. "My head still hurts and I can hear them in the bathroom. They're noisy."

"Again, I am sorry, Raphael. Give me a moment and I will see what I can do about your headache." He went to his bedside and nuzzled his cheek. "Please, do not cry. Daddy will take care of it."

Raph hiccupped. "'kay…"

Splinter returned to the bathroom, cleaned up Mikey and returned him to his cot as well. He kissed him on the head. "Get some rest now, sweetheart."

He went back to the bathroom to retrieve the thermometer and a cold, wet rag. He placed the wet rag on Raph's forehead and then sat on Donnie's bed.

"Open up, Donatello," he said.

Donnie opened his mouth and Splinter stuck the thermometer under his tongue.

"Keep it under your tongue," he whispered.

Trusting Donnie to hold it in place, he decided he would get up and check on Leonardo. He adjusted his oldest son's blankets and felt his forehead. He sighed. He was beginning to feel warm as well, but alas, he still appeared to be sleeping soundly.

_Beep! Beep!_

Splinter returned to Donnie and removed the thermometer. It read 64.9 degrees.

"You have a pretty bad fever too, Donatello," he said and rubbed the little one's shoulder. "Do you need anything? Perhaps a glass of water?"

Donnie shook his head. "No thank you," he squeaked.

"Alright then, try to get some rest."

He went to Raphael and took him into his lap. He cradled him and adjusted the rag on his forehead.

"I wish I had something to give you for your headache, my sweet," he whispered and felt his cheek with the back of his hand; it was a bit warm. "It looks like you've got a fever too."

Raph groaned as more tears streamed down his little face. "H-hurts…"

"I know, I know," Splinter cooed sympathetically. "This might help." He began to massage his temples for him.

For several minutes, Splinter sat holding Raphael in one arm and massaging his temples with his free hand until the little one began to drift off in his arms. He carefully tucked him back in, took the wet rag off of his forehead and kissed him goodnight. He checked on each of his sons one last time and tiptoed toward the doorway.

"D-daddy…"

Splinter turned to see Mikey sitting up in his bed. "Don't go…I w-want you…"

Next, Donnie sat up. "Don't go, daddy. Stay with me."

Leo stirred. "D-daddy…sta-a-ay…"

Raph sat up last and just held out his arms, giving his father a pouty, pleading stare.

Splinter sighed. "Very well. You win." He sat on the floor and leaned against the wall. All four boys gathered up their pillows and laid on the floor all around their father. "I guess I am camping out in here tonight, then."

**Sorry if this one was a bit…yucky. I just found it funny how little kids always think they're dying when they get sick. Hope you enjoyed!**


	26. 026 - Childhood

**Childhood**

Captain Ryan approached his country's proud leader with a righteous confidence that only he, of all members of his crew, could muster.

The stereotypical white-haired president bore a triumphant grin while he stood at the end of a long, blue rug sprawled out in front of the White House.

Crazed fan-girls and boys fought against the security guards and the ropes that separated them from their hero, desperate just to touch even a follicle of the man.

Captain Ryan passed them by nonchalantly, and reached the president untouched. He beamed as he shook the man's hand.

"Congratulations, Captain Ryan," the president said in a deep, but cheery voice, "I hereby award you the medal of honor for saving the world from the threatening life forms outside of our atmosphere."

"Thank you, mister president. I graciously accept," Captain Ryan bowed respectfully.

"I am so proud of you, Captain," Dr. Mindstrong piped up from behind him, resting a fond hand on his shoulder. "You become more like your father everyday. He would certainly be proud to see this."

"That's my goal in life, doctor; to be just like my father."

The ever-growing grin on Leonardo's face grew wider at the conclusion of the beloved cartoon. He turned to his brothers who were watching the screen with dazed expressions.

"I'm just like Captain Ryan," he bragged, "because I'm just like my daddy too."

Raph glared and crossed his arms. "And how's that?"

Leo jumped to his feet and puffed out his little chest. "Well, we're both really brave and good at ninja stuff."

Raph scoffed. "No way! If anyone's like daddy, it's me. I'm tough and strong just like him. You're just a big wuss!"

Leo clenched his fist. "Oh please, daddy's way bigger and stronger than you!"

Mikey pushed himself to his feet and looked up at his two slightly taller brothers with a grin.

"Well, I think that _I'm_ most like daddy," he said.

All three of his brothers looked at him expectantly. Mikey then became uncomfortable and began to shuffle his fingers.

"Well, we're both really nice..."

"Pfft," Donnie interrupted. "I'm way nicer than you!"

Mikey shook his head. "Nuh-uh! You're a meanie sometimes! Daddy's not a meanie ever...'cept when he spanks me, but still!"

Donnie rose to his feet and got in close to Mikey's face. "I'm only mean when you're being stupid! Besides, Daddy and I are both really smart. You're not smart at all. None of you are as smart as us." He crossed his arms smugly.

Raph shoved him lightly. "You're still not as smart as him and even if you were, you're just a big nerd anyway! Daddy's not a nerd! See? You two are nothing alike!"

Donnie snarled. "Oh yeah? Well daddy's really strong, but at least he actually uses his brain! You're just a mindless brute," he retorted and shoved him back.

"At least I can say that I'm respectful unlike you guys!" Leo bragged. "Daddy says I'm respectful like he taught me."

"Well, I'm respectful too!" Mikey piped up. "Daddy says all the time that I'm an angel! I even have the word 'angel' in my name! I'm a good person like daddy!"

"Yeah right!" Leo spat. "You're not a good boy! Good boys don't play jokes on others all the time!"

Mikey smirked. "My jokes are my awesomeness. That's another way that I'm like daddy: our awesomeness."

"Daddy never plays jokes," Donnie corrected.

"No, but we both have awesomeness," Mikey crossed his arms and stuck out his tongue, signaling that the conclusion was not up for dispute.

Donnie glared. "What does that even mean?"

"You're the smart one!" Mikey shouted. "Why don't you tell me?!"

"Now, why would you say something without knowing the meaning?! If that's the case, why bother speaking?! Jeez, you're so annoying!"

"Well, maybe _you're_ annoying when you talk all smarty-pants-like!"

Splinter, having heard enough of the shouting, entered the living room from the dojo.

"Boys!" he shouted, tapping his staff on the floor and demanding their attention. "What is the problem?"

"Daddy, tell them that I am the one that's just like you," Leo whined. "'Cuz we're both brave, and respectful and good at like, ninja stuff."

"No! No!" Raph argued. "I'm like you 'cuss we're both so tough and strong, right?"

Splinter grinned. "Well..."

"No, I'm most like you because we're both so smart!"

Mikey started hopping up and down in attempt to dominate his father's attention.

"No! No! I'm like you 'cuz we're both nice and awesome!"

Splinter chuckled. "Boys, is that what all this commotion is about?"

"See?" Leo said. "It's silly because it's so obvious that I'm the one who takes after you the most, right?"

"Well, my sons, you all take after me in your own ways," Splinter began.

"Not Mikey," Raph argued.

"Even Mikey, Raphael," he said. "In fact, more than you think."

Splinter planted himself on the couch and gestured for his sons to sit with him. Leo was the first to climb up on the couch and cuddle up beside him, and Raphael, always the one to compete with his older brother, curled up on his opposite side. Donnie was more than satisfied sitting on the opposite side of Leo, but Mikey climbed over Raph to cuddle up in his father's lap.

"Actually, all of you take after me in ways that none of you would expect," Splinter explained, locking his arms around his youngest in his lap. "Let me tell you a story..."

* * *

Eight-year-old Hamato Yoshi sat cross-legged on the floor of his sensei's dojo, surrounded by his peers as they quietly and respectfully awaited their sensei's presence. Yoshi, however, was not so patient. He impatiently tapped his fingers on the hardwood floor and hummed an upbeat tune in his throat to lull his impatient mind away from the frustrating silence.

He glanced over at his friend, Oroku Saki, who sat beside him with his eyes closed and his head pointed at the floor. He snickered to himself and poked Saki's nose.

Saki shook his head and swatted at his hand before he turned to glare at him.

"Yoshi, stop that," he growled. "Just be quiet, okay? I'm not in the mood..."

Yoshi coked his head, his messy black locks of hair sweeping to the side.

"Not in the mood? What is wrong, my friend?"

Saki sighed. "It's my mom and dad."

Yoshi scowled. "Your mom still won't let your dad back in the house?"

Saki nodded sadly. "I don't even know where he is. I haven't seen him in two weeks."

Yoshi adjusted his sitting position to more comfortably face his friend.

"Well, maybe your mom knows where he is. You should ask her to let you go see him soon," he suggested.

Saki shook his head. "I did. She just keeps saying stuff like 'you don't need to be around that asshole'."

"Why doesn't she like your dad anymore?"

Saki shrugged. "I don't know, Yoshi. Your mom and dad still like each other, right?"

Yoshi nodded. "Yeah, they're still friends."

Saki sighed and hid his face in his hands.

Yoshi felt his heart crack.

"I know what will cheer you up, Saki!" He said, patting his withdrawn friend on the back.

Saki peeked through his hands curiously. "What?"

Yoshi grabbed his wrist and yanked him to his feet.

"Come with me. I've got an idea!"

He drug him into the utility closet on the other side of the room and flicked the light on inside.

"Yoshi, what are we doing in here?"

Yoshi pulled out a seven-foot ladder that was twice his height and drug it out into the dojo.

Saki sighed. "What is that for?"

Yoshi bore a mischievous grin. "You'll see." He went back into the closet and dug around until he found a ball of twine and a heavy duty flashlight.

Saki scratched his head. "What are those for?"

Yoshi groaned. "I told you, you'll see. Just wait, my friend." He set the twine and flashlight beside the ladder and went back in the closet to retrieve a pair of scissors and a roll of measuring tape. He unrolled the tape. "Hmm, how tall do you think Master Tori is, say, six foot?"

Saki shrugged. "I don't know, I guess."

Yoshi stared at the partially unraveled measuring tape and then studied the archway that led outside of the dojo. He nodded. "I can work with this."

Yoshi pushed the ladder to the archway and climbed to the second step from the top. He tied a five foot ball of twine to the top of the arch and then tied the heavy duty flashlight to the dangling end.

"Yoshi, I'm not so sure that's a good idea," one of their peers spoke up from the row of remaining students waiting on the floor.

"Hush up, Usagi," Yoshi snapped. "Mind your own business."

Usagi just shrugged and went about watching Yoshi set up his 'master plan'.

Once the flashlight was tied securely, Yoshi let it dangle from the arch. He scooted the ladder several feet away from the arch.

"Saki, hand me the flashlight," he said.

Saki complied and Yoshi stood at the top of the ladder, holding the flashlight as high over his head as he could get it.

"And now we wait," he snickered.

Only seconds later, the sounds of Master Tori's footsteps could be heard approaching the doorway.

"Okay, children," he said aloud before even reaching the arch. "I hope you're all...oof!"

His greeting was cut short by an airborne flashlight colliding with his groin. The middle age man hunched over in pain as the children erupted into fits of laughter.

Saki laughed uncontrollably and found himself collapsing into the ladder. He immediately realized that this was a bad idea when the ladder gave out against his weight.

Yoshi desperately reached for something to grab onto and that something wound up being the curio cabinet beside the entrance. The curio cabinet shifted at the momentum and collapsed on top of Master Tori, with Yoshi landing on top of it.

"Master Tori!" Saki screamed.

Yoshi shook the dizziness from his head and looked around to see Saki and all his peers standing around him and the fallen curio cabinet with fear in their eyes. When he didn't see his sensei and felt squirming from underneath the cabinet, he realized what had happened and hopped back onto the floor.

He saw his sensei's head and arms sticking out from under the cabinet, his face bearing a pained expression as he wheezed and gasped for air.

Yoshi gasped and desperately tried to lift the cabinet, but to no avail. He looked around to his awestruck peers and then back to the cabinet and quickly came up with a plan.

"Saki," he demanded, "grab a hold of that corner over there! Everyone, grab a corner and lift with all you've got!"

Saki, Usagi, and one of the other young students did as Yoshi commanded, and together they managed to lift the curio cabinet off of their sensei long enough for him to crawl out from under it and pull himself to his feet with the support of his staff.

The boys dropped the curio back to the floor and Yoshi and Saki rushed to Master Tori's side.

"Master Tori, are you alright?" Yoshi asked. "I am _so_ sorry!"

"We didn't mean it," Saki added. "Honest!"

Master Tori held his abdomen in agony and slowly rose to his full height.

"I am fine, children," he groaned and limped over to the bamboo tree that he kept in the corner.

"We didn't mean for you to get hurt..." Yoshi squeaked.

Tori snapped a branch off of the bamboo tree and turned to glare at the boys. Saki and Yoshi swallowed hard.

"I am fine, but you have a lesson to learn," he growled. "The two of you face the wall. I am going to tan your hides!"

The two boys reluctantly stood inches from the nearest wall and pressed their palms against the paint, awaiting their dreaded switching.

"How is this supposed to make me feel better?" Saki snapped in a harsh whisper.

Yoshi shrugged. "Hey, I made you laugh, didn't I?"

Saki sighed and shook his head.

* * *

"So you played jokes when you were little too?" Mikey beamed.

Splinter chuckled and ruffled his orange bandana.

"As a matter of fact, I did," he said. "As you can see, some of them got out of hand, but as you are, I was well-intended in those shenanigans."

"So I _am_ most like you?" Mikey earned himself a spiteful glare from each of his older brothers.

"No!" Raph snapped. "I am! He lifted that heavy cabinet like a champ!"

"No, no, that would be me because it took a lot of brains to accurately set up that trap," Donnie argued.

"Nuh-uh, me because he was brave and took control so he could save his sensei, right daddy?" Leo said.

"Yes, you are all right," Splinter replied and four pairs of eyes stared him down with confusion. He grinned at them. "See? You are all like me in your own ways."

"So does this mean I can play jokes and not get in trouble anymore because you did it too?" Mikey asked.

Splinter laughed. "You may, but I will switch you just like my sensei did to me. History can repeat itself, my sweet."

Mikey crossed his arms in a pout. "Darn."


	27. 027 - Deep In Thought

**Deep in Thought**

It did not take long for Splinter to notice the differences in demeanor among his four infant sons. It had been nearly one year since he had begun his life with them, and right from the beginning he could note their individual personalities.

Leonardo, though only an infant, was a stubborn baby. Getting him to eat or take his bottle was a challenge, but only when he had not indicated that he was hungry. When Splinter wanted him to sleep, _that _would be when he would decide he was hungry or thirsty and would cry and fuss until his demands were met. If Splinter was trying to bathe him or change his diaper when he was in the middle of doing something else (namely, playing with his toys), the child would kick his feet and scream the whole time. Leo went by his own schedule and his own rules and no coaxing from his father could adjust them.

In spite of his stubbornness, however, Leo loved to do anything that his daddy was doing. If Leo knew Splinter was eating, he wanted to eat too. If Splinter was sleeping, Leo would lie down right beside him and sleep, and when daddy was bathing, Leo wanted to bathe too. Doing it at the same time was the only way Splinter knew how to get that baby to do anything he needed him to. As frustrating as the stubbornness could be, Splinter always felt a special sort of warmth when his son would comply simply because daddy was doing it too.

Raphael, many would say, was a very unhappy baby. Even after he had learned to use the simplest words to indicate his needs or wants, he would still prefer to whine, cry, or scream to get them. There would be times when Splinter would not even be able to figure out what the poor child was so distressed about and it would take what seemed like an eternity of consoling and whispered reassurances just to calm him down.

Raphael, however, was by no means a generally unhappy baby. He was a passionate child, as Splinter would say. When he would get upset, he would get _very_ upset, but when something pleased him, it would not only make his day, but it would also make his father's day. All of his children's smiles and laughs warmed him to his core, but seeing his fussiest child grin brought on a warmth all it's own.

His youngest two, Donatello and Michelangelo, unlike their older brothers, were much more quiet and passive in nature. Donnie could remain occupied for hours just looking at a book of his father's that he had somehow gotten a hold of, staring at all the strange symbols and pictures. He didn't have much of an appetite, so he rarely fussed about being hungry and he enjoyed his quiet time, so bed time was no issue either.

Donnie's quietness sometimes worried Splinter though. Every parent knows that a quiet (and curious) baby can only mean trouble when they are out of sight. Many times Splinter would have to rescue Donnie from his own curiosity, such as trying to get a better look at the sewer water and nearly falling in it.

All of Splinter's boys were curious, but he knew that Donnie had a special kind of curiosity that would one day make him very intelligent and successful, in spite of all the trouble it could cause presently.

Mikey was not exactly quiet, but was by far the happiest baby Splinter had ever seen. Contrasting with Raphael's fussing, he would find Mikey giggling and smiling for reasons that he could not figure out. Except for when he was hungry, his youngest son rarely ever shed a tear. Seeing any one of his sons crying saddened the rat, but seeing the usually content Mikey cry brought on a hurt all it's own.

* * *

"_Waaaaaah!_"

An infant's shrill cry rang out through the Hamato household, slowly awakening the snoozing mother and father lying side-by-side in their bed.

The mother sighed and reluctantly drug her head from the pillow.

The man turned and sleepily grinned at her. "Tang Shen," he whispered. "Go back to sleep, my dear. I will take care of it this time."

"Oh but Yoshi," Shen protested, "she needs her mommy. I cannot sleep knowing..."

"All will be well," he assured and rose from the bed. "As long as she has one of us. Please, you need your rest."

Shen sighed and reluctantly tucked herself back under her sheets. "Well come and get me if you need me."

Yoshi smiled contentedly and sauntered off to his daughter's bedroom where she stood up holding onto the bars of the crib, crying out and demanding some loving attention.

She quieted her cries to an expectant pout as she watched her father enter the room bearing a warm smile.

"What is the matter, little one?" he cooed as he took her from her crib and into his arms.

She gazed at him with her sleepy amber eyes. Her pouting lips morphed into a wide smile as she took in her father's loving warmth.

Yoshi felt his heart beaming with joy and affection as he looked upon her and instinctively held her closer to his chest.

"Oh, Miwa," he whispered. "Daddy loves you so much."

For a blissful moment, all was calm and in the father's mind, perfect. Until the baby let out another shrill cry that startled him out of his peaceful state.

He pulled her away from him to check her over, but she had made no movement. She was no longer breathing, and yet the sounds of her cries still rang out in his ears.

"Miwa?" he shook her lightly, but received no response, and yet, the crying seemed to become louder. "Miwa?!"

* * *

"Miwa!"

The rat awoke with a start and sat up in his bed. The crying he had heard in his dream continued in reality a few rooms away. It was the third time in only four hours that he had been awoken by his son's screaming and sobbing.

He caught his breath and glanced at the spot in his bed beside him; it was empty, just as it had been the last two years. Delegating a response to the distressed call was out of the question as always.

With a heavy sigh, Splinter rose from his sheets and wrapped his kimono around himself, lit the candle on his bedside table, and rushed off to his sons' bedroom.

He entered through the open doorway and the dim light from his candle illuminated his youngest baby's tear-filled cyan eyes. He was standing up and holding onto the bars of the crib. He leaned his shell-covered chest against the bars so that he could keep his balance and reach his chubby arms out to his father.

"Da-da..." he sobbed.

Splinter felt a pang in his heart. It was not often that he saw a frown in place of Mikey's infamous grin. This was a sight that he had seen too much in the previous twenty-four hours.

He set the candle down on the table beside the rocking chair before making his way to the crib and taking the sobbing little one into his arms, but not before checking on Donatello to be sure that Mikey had not disturbed his poor bunk mate. Much to his relief, the slightly older tot slept soundly.

"What is troubling you, Michelangelo?" he cooed.

Mikey's sobs subsided a bit and he rubbed his eyes before resting his head on his father's shoulder.

Splinter sighed and sat himself down in the rocking chair, moving Mikey into a more comfortable cradling position.

Mikey continued to pout with discontent.

"Are you wet?" He leaned forward and sniffed his diaper. "Yes, you are." He rose from the chair and laid the one-year-old on the floor.

"Da-da, no..." Mikey whined in protest as his father walked away for a moment to retrieve a fresh diaper, some wipes, and the powder from under the crib.

"I am not going anywhere, my son," Splinter whispered and returned to his fussy son. He knelt down by Mikey's feet and unfastened his diaper. He could not see it in the dark, but he knew that the diaper rash was as bad, if not worse, as it had been if Mikey's continuous fussing was any indication.

He shook his head. Only a few hours the little one had slept in his own urine and feces the previous night, but that was all it took to form the burning rash on the underside of his tail.

Mikey began to sob again as Splinter wiped him clean.

Splinter sighed. "Again, honey, I am so sorry. I know this is daddy's fault." He sprinkled the powder on him generously, which seemed to soothe him a little.

"Oww..." he whimpered.

"I know, I know," Splinter whispered and fastened the fresh diaper on him. He took him back into his arms and grinned at him. "All clean."

Mikey's lip began to quiver and he broke into sobs again.

Splinter sighed and held him closer. "Ssh, settle down, now..."

He glanced at the clock on the wall; it read ten after five. Normally he would have been getting out of bed twenty minutes from then. "I suppose there is no point in me trying to go back to bed."

Mikey just stared at him with misty eyes.

Splinter retrieved his orange blanket from his crib and wrapped him up snugly in it. "Come," he whispered. "Let's get you a bottle."

Mikey's eyes widened. "Ba-ba?"

Splinter chuckled and tickled his chin. "Yes, a 'ba-ba'."

Before departing from the bedroom, he checked on his older three once again and, with only one free arm, tucked each of them in again.

As he was tucking in Leonardo, he felt something tugging at the collar of his kimono. He glanced to Mikey to find him nibbling at his clothing.

He shook his head and smiled. "What are you doing, you silly little turtle?" He gently nudged the infant's cheek to stop him, much to the turtle's dismay.

Mikey continued to whine at the loss of his 'chew-toy'.

Splinter hugged him closer. "Come now, I will get you some milk."

* * *

Splinter carefully lay Mikey down on the floor of his dojo as the little one contentedly sipped on his bottle of warm milk.

"Daddy is going to try to meditate," he explained. "You should try and get some sleep little one."

Mikey simply stared back at him with dazed eyes as he continued to sip.

Splinter chuckled lightly and sat beside him in his meditative position. Gravity pulled at his relaxing muscles as he closed his eyes and tried to forget the stress that his fatherly heart brought upon him. His mind drifted to only the sound of water rushing through the sewer pipes and the soft sound of his son sucking the contents from his bottle.

* * *

"Da-da!" a sweet, high-pitched voice pulled Yoshi from his meditative state.

He released a lighthearted sigh and turned to the source of the disruption. There behind him sat his black-haired little daughter smiling at him with a fervent glimmer in her amber eyes.

"What is it, Miwa?" he whispered.

Her grin widened and she crawled toward him and into his lap. She stared at him a moment before raising up her arms.

"Da-da!" she cooed.

Yoshi pulled her to his chest and held her close. He chuckled. "What do you need, child?"

Miwa pulled her arms free from his embrace and rested her hands on his shoulders as she pulled herself to his face and kissed his nose.

"Love da-da," she said.

Yoshi melted. "Oh sweetheart, I love you too." He hugged her as tight as he could without crushing her tiny little body.

"Da-da..."

"Yes, child, 'da-da' loves you," he whispered.

"Da-da...?"

He nuzzled her head.

"Da-da!"

A sharp pain moving up his spine shook him from his peaceful state of mind.

* * *

With a yelp, Yoshi hopped to his knees, feeling a weight drag behind his aching tail and then, almost as quickly, release.

"_Waaaaah!"_

He whipped his head around to find Mikey sitting up behind him, crying with his hands to his mouth.

He groaned and took the child into his arms.

"Shoosh, daddy did not mean to hurt you. It is alright. It is alright, Miwa..."

Splinter's heart skipped a beat. Miwa? How could he call his son by his late daughter's name? He looked into the child's cyan eyes and saw the pain. He knew it was from the diaper rash, but to him it stung his heart as if the baby was aware of and hurt by his mistake.

"Oh, Michelangelo_..._" he whispered. "I am so sorry, my son. Daddy did not mean to call you that."

The baby let out another pained sob.

Splinter placed a thumb on his chin and gently pried his jaws open to check that there was no damage done.

"Open up," he whispered.

Mikey reluctantly opened his mouth and Splinter saw the small white spots emerging from his bare gums. It was then that realization splashed over him.

"Oh of course, you must be teething," he said. "That would explain the biting and chewing."

The older three had all gone through their teething stage, the most recent being Donatello only a few weeks prior, but none of them had shown much discomfort during that time. They fussed very little and simply dealt with it by chewing on whatever they could get their little mouths on.

Splinter hugged Mikey closer to his chest.

"We must find you something to chew on," he whispered. "But for now, maybe some sleep would do you some good." He gave the baby a comforting grin and stroked his cheek with his thumb. It seemed to soothe him for a minute or so, but soon after, little groans of discomfort began to escape his throat, which quickly turned to full sobs. Splinter sighed.

"Oh, what am I going to do with you?" he groaned. He knelt down and picked up the orange blanket and wrapped it snugly around Mikey's shelled body. He trudged off to the kitchen, hoping an early morning cup of hot tea would soothe _him_ at the very least.

Mikey released another unhappy wail as Splinter flipped on the kitchen light. Splinter hushed and bounced him lightly as he retrieved his worn teapot from the top of their stove and went to the sink to fill it.

A yellow rubber ducky sitting beside the sink caught little Mikey's attention. He began to squirm in his father's arms and reach for it.

Splinter shut off the water and looked at his now squirming son.

"What is it, Michelangelo?"

Mikey reached further and began to whine again.

Splinter chuckled. "Do you want the duck?" he cooed. He picked up the duck and handed it to Mikey.

Mikey eagerly accepted the rubber toy and wasted no time to stuff it into his aching mouth and bite it as it squeaked.

Splinter laughed as he set the pot on the stove and turned it on.

"If that makes you feel better, little one," he said.

Mikey violently gnawed on the rubber toy as air vigorously puffed in and out of the bottom hole, the toy's squeaker long since dormant, something Splinter was silently grateful for. The incessant squeaking of the rubber duck used to drive him crazy when his sons would get to playing with it.

The teapot began to squeal and Splinter removed it from the burner. He retrieved a mug from the cabinet and filled it almost to the top with the hot water.

Mikey began to grunt and reach for the mug.

Splinter smiled at him. "What do you want?" he cooed. "Are you hungry?"

Mikey's eyes widened at his father and he began to grunt louder. "Eh! Ehhhh!"

Splinter chuckled as he dropped a teabag in the hot mug and stepped over to the fridge to get a premade bottle of algae.

The sight of the bottle ignited Mikey's excitement and he squirmed in his father's arms to get it. Splinter held him steady and handed him the bottle, which he eagerly accepted.

Splinter chuckled. "I guess you _were_ hungry."

He returned to his mug and stirred his tea before removing the teabag, discarding it, and trudging back to the living room to enjoy his morning tea.

He lay Mikey down on the couch beside him, where he drowsily sipped on his bottle. Splinter watched him fervently and stroked his plastron.

By the time Splinter had finished his tea, Mikey had drifted off to sleep. Splinter carefully scooped him up and returned him to his own crib, being sure to check on his other three before returning himself to his dojo.

He sat himself Indian style on the hard, rugged floor, closed his eyes and let his mind drift to another world.

* * *

He sat beside her on the floor of their dojo, both solemnly in their peaceful, meditative state, while their daughter slept.

The sound of her steady breathing eased his mind, illuminated his heart. Her cherry blossom scent enlightened his soul. He couldn't resist; he peaked an eye open ever so slightly and watched her from the corner of his eye.

She was beautiful as always. Her long black locks resting at her shoulders, her eyes relaxed and resting, but her slight smile still so active.

His hand slithered over and grasped hers.

She released a lighthearted sigh before opening her eyes and smiling at him. She chuckled.

"What?" she said.

He smiled wider at her and silently pushed a black lock behind her ear so as to get a better look at her tantalizing amber eyes.

"_Waaaaah!_"

Yoshi sighed at the baby's abrupt interruption.

The dojo turned to black and his beloved began to fade before his eyes.

He shut his eyes submissively, but his love's hand gripped his shoulder.

"Go back to your meditation, Yoshi," she said with that unfaltering smile. "I will take care of it this time."

* * *

Splinter reluctantly returned his meditating brain to reality and prepared himself to go respond to the distressed cry of his youngest son.

Much to the father's surprise, though, within seconds, the loud crying subsided.

He waited a minute to see if it would resume, but it did not. He told himself to go check on the baby regardless.

Splinter rushed off to his makeshift nursery and hurried to the crib that held his two youngest sons. There Donatello slept soundly with Michelangelo dozing beside him, chewing on the arm of Donnie's favorite stuffed panda that lay between the two of them.

He smiled fervently at the scene and bowed his head.

"Thank you, my love..."

**A/N: So sorry that it's been so long since I've updated. I've been so wrapped up in working a lot of hours and going back to college. Hopefully, I can be more consistent with this in the future!**


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